The evening of Dec. 10, 2021 felt more like spring rather than two weeks before Christmas. A dampness hung in the air, and the wind swirled. 

The Storm Prediction Center had placed the region into the moderate risk category for severe weather for the first time since July 2018. Forecasters warned of a chance of storms and tornadoes.

A lone supercell thunderstorm started around 7 p.m. in Arkansas and raced northeast. A tornado touched down in Monette, leveling a nursing home, before continuing on into southeast Missouri and northwest Tennessee before lifting and reforming in far western Kentucky. The EF-4 roared through the region, leaving homes, businesses and communities flattened. 

The JMC 597 Collaborative Journalism Capstone class at Murray State University dispatched reporters across the path to find the stories of recovery, resilience and hope.