Desert Woman’s Friends Ride Out Joplin Tornadoes

The disaster in Joplin, Mo., hit home for a Yucca Valley woman who has been glued to the television knowing that close friends are now living in an underground shelter.

Leanka Winters has been in touch with her friends through Facebook and text messaging, and everyday there seems to be a new disaster.

Winters said shes at a loss, because she feels helpless.

That’s why she is calling on all Americans to donate whatever they can.

Her friends, Angie, Billy, Brittany and Barbara, are tornado victims.

Winters was supposed to travel to Joplin over the weekend because Barbara graduated from college on Saturday with a degree in psychology.

But Winters canceled last minute.

“A family emergency came up,” she said. “I needed to go pick up my dad in Northern California, so I didn’t go. So, to me, everything kind of happens for a reason.”

Winters said the messages sent from her friends on Saturday afternoon were uplifting.

The graduation went well and everyone was happy.

Then, tornado warnings were issued, the weather turned humid and the mood was dark.

At 6:56 p.m., Winters received a text saying her friends were slammed by a cyclone.

“As soon as they come out of the bathroom, they noticed that probably about 75 percent of the town was gone,” said Winters.

Roads no longer existed, homes were turned into firewood, neighbors were laying lifeless in the streets and everyone else was without a home.

“They were able to go back to the rubble and find, you know, your purse, your wallet,” said Winters. “I think they found a laptop, class ring, wedding ring, but that’s just by God’s grace that it was even still there.”

Her friends are now living in an underground shelter a few blocks away from where their apartment complex once stood.

FEMA and the American Red Cross are so busy right now that Winters’ friends may have to wait three to four weeks before they receive any assistance.

“Devastating. You can’t imagine unless its — it kind of hits home,” said Winters. “It’s hard.”

Winters is also setting up an account that you can contribute to. and those funds will go to helping out her friends.

Mail donations to:

Joplin Relief Fund 4501 E. Sunny Dunes Road. Suite B Palm Springs, CA 92264