A Remarkable Story
It was a dark and stormy evening.
It proved a terrifying evening.
Aaron and Breanna were on their front porch with their children. The sky was a color they had never seen before.
As Aaron watched the sky, he realized…to his horror…that he was also watching debris flying horizontally.
He suddenly shouted: “WE NEED TO GET IN THE BASEMENT! NOW!!!!!!!!”
The family raced into the basement, without realizing that their reality would soon, within minutes, be upturned.
It was Sunday, May 22, 2011.
The place was Joplin, Missouri.
Their house, pre-May 22nd.
Their house, post-May 22nd.
After the noise subsided, an eerie quiet descended.
Aaron said: “Y’all stay here. I’ll go check things out.”
He crept up the basement stairs, and walked into the kitchen. Save broken windows, all seemed OK. He walked into the dining room and living room. Again, save broken windows, all seemed OK. He walked into the two-story stair hall. He blinked. And blinked again, not being to fully process the sight before him. For, way above him was not a plaster ceiling…but sky.
This. Was. Not. Possible.
Yet, it was now a reality.
The entire roof had been pulled off the house.
Aaron and Breanna decided to restore the house. They had already expended massive effort on the house. But the insurance man told them no. “The whole structure is wracked out of square, and was also pulled off its foundation.”
So, they later watched as the home they loved was smashed to the ground.
But…not before salvaging what they could.
Fast forward to 2022…
…as five 5-panel doors from the lost house were gifted to the Carriage House. Thanks, Aaron (pictured here, doing a most excellent Vanna White) and Breanna!
The doors match the sole remaining door from the circa-1921 conversion.
And not JUST doors were gifted, but doors WITH HARDWARE!
Squee!
Which Cody, in an obsessive mood, restored.
This is a remarkable story.
A house was lost.
But parts of it will live on. In another house. In a different state.
And all due to the foresight and generosity of Aaron and Breanna.
So…in a world gone seemingly mad, something is better in a small town in Kansas.
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Well, I think the insurance people were full of excrement. It was just cheaper for them to pull the house down than set it right.
I hope they salvaged as much as they could from the house.
Glad the doors and hardware live on and Cody did an excellent job.
All of my doors in the original 1922 house are five panel doors. The bathroom and master bedroom and three panel because … 1949.
Even though the chimney fell into the house and there was a roof to first floor 1”gap in the rear corner, I was just sure it could be saved. However, it rained for two days straight after the tornado then 100* plus temps set in.
Oak floors buckled, baseboards warped and plaster walls bowed. Then the mold grew.
I salvaged what woodwork that wasn’t ruined hoping to use it on another house before I had the place demolished.
As time went on, we settled for a mid century house just to have a place to land. Sold the old front door, the 6.5’ claw foot tub and gave away quite a bit of trim. The only things held onto were the 5 panel doors and the fireplace mantle.
In 2017 we were lucky enough to purchase a magnificent 1891 brick home and the mantle found its new home but still had no need for the doors.
Ross’s mention of the missing 5 panel doors from the carriage house jogged my memory that we still had some of those in storage and I can think of no better place for them.
Cody’s handiwork on the hardware was total affirmation that they are exactly where they belong.
Rain and mold. Yes, that was the clincher.
Glad you were able to salvage as much as you did.
Congrats on the “new” house and home for the mantle.
At least parts live on in many places.
So sorry about your house, Aaron and Breanna, glad your family is okay. It is marvelous and so gracious of you to gift these to Ross. You have chosen well. Ross and Cody will take good care of these beauties.
I came here to say exactly this! It’s a lovely and generous gift. And a bit of their home lives on now in a small town in Kansas. And Ross and Cody will be good caretakers. (That hardware shined up a treat, Cody! I’d love to know how you made that magic happen.) Best of everything to Aaron, Breanna, and their family.
Thank you Aaron and Breanna, what a remarkable gift. I feel sad about your loss and I feel joy at the same time that others will enjoy those beautiful doors from your house.
As a person who has been closely associated with Joplin my entire life, that tornado was beyond devastating. People lost family, friends, co-workers, pets and everything they held dear. I’ll never forget calling hospital after hospital looking for one of my cousins employees Sadly, he has lost his life and was found much later. The whole event was so profound. 😞
Wow, so sorry Aaron and Breanna suffered such a tragedy, but thankful things have worked out for them now. What foresight to salvage what was possible before the demolition and what generosity to gift the doors to the Cross House. Bravo, nice save.
Remarkable story!
Sad to hear of Aaron & Breanna’s hardship and losing their previous home, and At least they could salvage parts of their former home. Their brick home sounds lovely. It was nice they could use their treasured mantle there.
Loved that the salvaged 5-panel doors and hardware made their way to the carriage house!
Irrepressible & resourceful Cody the decorating maestro, also did his magic with the hardware!
All look so nice!
Wow. An extraordinary gift, like organ transplants.
Incredible. I will never, ever forget the photos and video that came out in the aftermath in Joplin. So glad they survived, sorry their house did not.
Thank you, Aaron and Breanna. You’ve given a wonderful gift to Carriage House. So glad you are resettled and were able to use the mantle from your previous home.
❤️❤️❤️
I don’t know what to say except wow. Amazing story. Thank you. 🙂
I’m so sorry about your house Aaron and Breanna, what a sad and horrible story. Glad you found another house and was able to use your former mantle in it. It will remind you of your beautiful, old house that was lost. It is so nice that parts of the house found other homes. And especially generous giving the 5 panel doors and hardware to Ross. Cody did an excellent job shining them up.
How remarkable! What beautiful hearts they have!