As morning broke yesterday in Joplin, hundreds gathered to paytribute to the 161 people who lost their lives in last year's deadly EF-5 tornado, along with the skilled firstresponders—including medical staff and rescue workers—who treatedmore than 500 injured and carried out 22 life-savingsurgeries.

The service took place at Freeman Hospital West, with FreemanCEO Paula Baker setting the tone of “ordinary people performingextraordinary deeds.” First and foremost, she was referring to thetireless efforts of Freeman Hospital employees who postponed theirown grief in order to assist the injured, who began arriving by thetruckload after the multi-vortex twister all but demolished St.John's Medical Center.

“They literally shook off the debris of their own homes and madeway to Freeman, maneuvering downed power lines,” Baker said. “Thesedoctors and nurses worked to save the lives of others, while unsureof the safety of their own family and friends. They tended to morethan 500 souls in need of care.”

Missouri Gov. Nixon, who has been a regular fixture in Joplin,spoke at the service and was named a “Freeman Fellow” for hisongoing commitment to rebuilding the community from the ground upwhile enabling its residents to heal both emotionally andphysically. Following Nixon, a local teen and his mom shared theirlife-changing journey. The service culminated in the release of skylanterns to honor the dead and those who have “lifted the communityup through their good deeds.”

To view the slideshow of the memorial highlights, click “next”to the bottom right.

Baker lauded Gov. Nixon for securing resources and encouragingJoplin residents to “press on and not allow the enormity of thedestruction take from their resolve.”

Last year's tornado destroyed 8,000 homes. With St. John'sin rubble, Freeman staff were bombarded with critically injured. Atthe time of the tornado, 259 of the 288 hospital beds wereoccupied, and the emergency room was at near capacity.

Doctors and nurses reported that typical injuries ranged fromconcussions to severe head trauma, severed limbs, and objectsimpaled in bodies.

Only six other people have received the distinction of “fellow”in Freeman's 90-year history. Gov. Nixon expressed gratitude andpride in the goodness of Joplin rescue workers.

“The sun rose only a couple of hours ago, but so much light hasalready been seen,” he said before being joined by a choir from alocal church.

Stories of heroism abounded. One doctor watched his house getswept away, only to head moments later in darkness to the emergencyroom, where he performed the first of several surgeries thatevening. Another doctor, who will be featured in this week'sPeople magazine, saved a girl who was impaled by the metalrod supporting a stop sign.

One of the many stories that resonated with me was that of aHome Depot worker. Suffering from a broken leg, the man ran fiveblocks to try to get help for a dying child. The local HomeDepot has since been rebuilt, but five people died that day.

Malachi Murdock and his mother, Susan Murdock, took the podiumto thank those who saved his life. Malachi had graduated from highschool only two weeks prior to the May 22, 2011, tornado. He hadfinished a performance at Stained Glass Theatre when the stormripped apart the building, killing three and inflicting Malachiwith nearly fatal wounds.

“In Missouri, sirens are an almost weekly occurrence so no onereally pays attention to them,” he said. “That day wasdifferent.”

To this day, Malachi is unsure of what object struck his facebut doctors believe it was a cinder block. Two students died nextto him and Susan said her son, now a vibrant 17-year-old, was“unrecognizeable” to her when they first reunited at the hospitalthat day.

Malachi was among the more than 500 wounded persons treated atFreeman Hospital West in the first hours after the storm. As thedays progressed, more than 1,700 victims of the tornado would seekcare. That evening, 110 Freeman physicians and 347 nurses reportedto duty, performing 22 lifesaving surgeries in 12 hours. Volunteersand Freeman employees released lanterns in the morning sky to paytribute to what Baker referred to as “selflessness and lovethat defines us as people and a community.”