amarale, Author at Strength After

On The Wings Of Butterflies: How art helped the community of Joplin recover from devastation

VIA State Farm | August 3, 2017

I hope that people who visit will learn of the strength within my community in the face of disaster.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

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The May 22 tornado that hit Joplin, Mississippi was the costliest in U.S. history—damaging 40% of the city and destroying 20% of it, including 7,000 homes. More than 1,100 people were injured, and 161 lost their lives. Those who survived faced a long road to healing, and art played a critical role in that process. After the storm, many local children said they’d been protected by “butterfly people” during the tornado—and the idea permeated new art throughout the city. Two local artists created a free-standing mural of an enormous butterfly to symbolize the rebirth of their city.

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Ebola

A Family Of Ebola Fighters: ‘With God’s Help, We Made It’

VIA NPR | April 14, 2017

We can overcome anything.

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The Ebola crisis in Liberia in 2014 left many families with holes that could never be filled—nearly 11,000 people contracted the disease and fewer than half survived it. After Reuben Shellu watched his younger brother quickly die from contracting ebola, he was alarmed to realize that he, his wife, and their 5 children were all infected. Against all odds, they stayed together and were all able to recover. And while reintegrating into their community was not easy, they are finding their way back into normal life.

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Virginia Tech Shooting

The Uninjured Victims Of The Virginia Tech Shootings

VIA NPR | Audio Story

We all probably have had different levels of trauma; we've all reacted to it differently. But getting together can help us heal, still.

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Surviving a mass shooting like the one that took 32 lives at Virginia Tech is a blessing—but one that comes with complications. Even without experiencing physical harm, there are deeply traumatic effects of experiencing such intense violence so closely. A decade later, 3 former students who were physically uninjured are finding ways to cope with the tension between gratitude that they’re physically safe and survivor’s guilt.

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9/11

9/11 First Responder: How My Service Dog Helps Me Heal

VIA Time | September 9, 2016

Before [my service dog] Bernie, I buried the hurt and shame, and dealt with crippling depression and anxiety. Today, I feel myself starting to heal.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

Fifteen years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, former EMT and first-responder Jaime Hazan has found a combination of techniques that work to counteract his post-traumatic stress—and one of them is an adorable Golden Doodle pup named Bernie. In addition to medication and other traditional therapies, Bernie is there to help Jaime cope with things like night terrors, asthma attacks, and social anxiety. Within just a few months of owning Bernie, Jaime has seen the very real difference a service dog can make—and now hopes to help other 9/11 responders get the same kind of four-legged help.

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Healing Through Journaling Five Years After the Storm

VIA KSMU | May 20, 2016 Audio Story

If it had not have been for the disaster, we might never have known how strong we really are and how many friends we really have.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

In May of 2011, a beautiful day suddenly spawned a tornado that took the lives of 161 people in Joplin, Mississippi. Five years after the disaster, the town has largely rebuilt itself—but for some, healing is a longer process. Ann Leach is a grief relief coach and a Joplin resident whose home was destroyed by the storm. Recognizing the need for many to privately process their grief, she started a project called Journal Joplin. Residents impacted by the tornado have told their stories and processed their feelings by creating these journals, ultimately taking one more important step in the process of rebuilding their lives.

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When tornadoes ravaged North Texas, a group of moms found a way to keep babies fed

VIA UPWorthy | February 5, 2016

We're a group of moms who saw a need that nobody else did — because we're moms!

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

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The day after Christmas in 2015, people in North Texas were devastated by a tornado that ended up taking 13 lives and damaging at least 2,000 buildings, leaving many displaced or without power. One mom knew that would be especially difficult for nursing mothers, who wouldn’t be able to pump or store breastmilk for their kids. She reached out to the community to offer help, and it wasn’t long before she found a mom of twins who’d lost her 500-ounce supply of breastmilk in the storm. Joining forces with other moms, she was able to get that mother what she needed—and then created a Facebook group to help even more parents feed their babies.

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Ebola

Portraits Of Ebola Survivors Bring Their Stories To Life

VIA Huffington Post | January 11, 2016

Incorporating survivors into the process of creating prevention messaging, they were really grateful for it. It was empowering to survivors, many of whom were young teenagers. It gave them a sense of a new role in their communities.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

In times of intense public health crises, disease isn’t the only thing that spreads quickly—fear does, too. We’re often overwhelmed with stories of the large numbers of people who don’t make it. But survivors of epidemics like Ebola have powerful, important stories to share. American photographer Daniel Jack Lyons partners with survivors to help them tell their own stories in ways that are significant for them and their communities. Even before he begins taking portraits, Lyons works closely with people to understand their unique perspective and equips them with cameras to express their story on their own. And that ability to identify the experiences that matter most for a survivor—and to share that insight with the larger community—is an essential part of the process of rebuilding stability and trust.

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Hurricane Katrina

10 Years After Hurricane Katrina, Randy Adams Still Counts His Blessings

VIA NPR | August 29, 2015 Audio Story

Difficult doesn't mean impossible, you know, it just means difficult.

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When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Randy Adams and his family evacuated to a hotel in Memphis, TN. Although they were safe, their home wasn’t. At first, Randy was filled with uncertainty about where to start rebuilding. But, in time, he and his community did rebuild their homes and their lives. Ten years after the hurricane, Randy and his neighbors feel deeply grateful for everything they have—especially each other.

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Burning down the house – how losing everything can set you free: Andi O’Conor

VIA TEDx Talks | April 29, 2014

You’re gonna learn so much from this, and it’s going to be amazing.

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As a 12 year old, Andi O’Conor’s home burned to the ground while she was attending a slumber party. Her family recovered and found themselves collecting more experiences than things. But then, 40 years later, her mountain home burned to the ground from a wildfire while she was on vacation 1,500 miles away. Despite losing everything twice, Andi has emerged from her experiences with a deep appreciation for the kindness and generosity of both her friends and complete strangers. She started a blog, “Burning Down the House”, to share her recovery story.

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Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy Firefighter – Road to Recovery – Waves for Water

VIA KIND Foundation | November 1, 2013

People just rise to the occasion and help you get it done.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

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One year after Hurricane Sandy hit, more than 22,000 families were still displaced from their homes. Volunteer Firefighter John Gelalia was one of them. He lost his Jersey Shore home, his relationship, and his truck. Too committed to his community to leave, John lived in his gutted home without electricity or plumbing, and he biked to respond to fire emergencies. Waves for Water and KIND Snacks partnered to help John completely rebuild his home and get back to a stable life.

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