Mercy Hospital Joplin plants 9/11 Survivor Tree sapling five years after deadly tornado

Whit Sanders, executive director of cancer services at Mercy Joplin, plants a sapling from the 9/11 Memorial Tree during the fifth anniversary of the Joplin tornado.

Five years after a devastating tornado ripped apart Joplin, MO, including its major hospital, a sapling from the 9/11 Survivor Tree was planted Sunday near the healing garden of Mercy Hospital Joplin's cancer center.

The tree will serve as a reminder of the kinship survivors share, and was grown from the seeds of the original Survivor Tree. The two other sites that received saplings included Newtown, Connecticut and Madrid, Spain, which have both been marred by tragedy.

"The survivor tree endured the attacks of 9/11 at the World Trade Center. Severely damaged, it was removed from the rubble of Ground Zero and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation," said Whit Sanders, executive director of cancer services at Mercy Joplin, during the planting ceremony. "From the gnarled stumps that were left after the attack, the tree miraculously grew smooth new limbs, creating visible lines between its past and its present. Today, it stands at the 9/11 Memorial as a living reminder of resilience, survival and rebirth."

[Also: When disaster strikes: CFOs help hospitals recover after Joplin tornado, Hurricane Sandy]

Mercy Hospital Joplin experienced its own rebirth not long ago. It re-opened March 22, 2015, and replaced the former St. John's Regional Medical Center, which had been ripped apart by an F5 tornado that tore through the community and killed more than 150 people, five of which had been patients in the hospital.

In a previous this interview, CFO Shelly Hunter recalled that they had just been through disaster drills. "But in all drills, one assumes the building is still standing."

Hunter said in addition to the cost of rebuilding, revenue logically saw a major dip during the transition period. She advised that in the face of disaster, hospital leadership must know their insurance policy inside and out and contact FEMA right away for help.

For everyone there at the ceremony Sunday, the moment the tree was placed in the ground was a bittersweet reminder of all they had been through.

"It's difficult for us to look back at that tragic day five years ago. In minutes, much of our city was torn apart. More importantly, 161 lives were lost. Now, five years later, we can say without a doubt that we have survived and have grown stronger," said Sanders.

[Also: Mercy Joplin sets March 22 open date for new storm-proof hospital]

Mercy Hospital Joplin holds 224 beds, is reinforced with concrete, and touts storm-hardened windows. It is equipped to withstand winds of up to 250 mph.

Hospital leadership said they chose to plant the tree in the healing garden near the cancer center because it an area of their facility known for its survivors.

"We hope it serves as a source of comfort and inspiration to those who are going through treatment. May they remember that they, like the tree, can be survivors. With our roots firmly planted in our community, may this tree remind us of the lesson we learned during the night of May 22, 2011. When we branch out to care for each other, we can grow, even through adversity," Sander said.

Twitter: @BethJSanborn