Joplin Memorial Run banners come home with victims' families

May 20—The last ones on the Joplin Memorial Run course on Saturday were families.

They gathered under a shade tree near the memorial run sculpture at the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex. The mood was somber and quiet as they waited for the last runner to finish.

Once Joplin Avenue was clear, they walked down to the banners bearing names of the 161 loved ones lost in the 2011 Joplin tornado. After the Memorial Run on Saturday — Joplin's last — the banners were a final gift to the families.

Among those who walked down Joplin Avenue to get a banner were Janet and Ron Barnaby from Galena, Kansas. Janet gently folded a banner with the name of her son, Adam Barnaby, making sure to not let it touch the ground.

Adam Barnaby was outgoing and fun loving, his parents said. He died at age 27 and will be forever young in their hearts.

"He just made you laugh," said Janet Barnaby. "Adam had the kind of personality that when he walked in a room, the whole room lit up."

They had seen photos of the banner, but never seen it in person. They said it was too hard for them to participate in Joplin Memorial Run events, which also included a Walk of Silence on the Friday night before the races.

They came Saturday though, because Adam Barnaby was their son.

"We came to represent Adam; he was a great guy. We miss him so much. We had to come, not to celebrate. ...," Ron Barnaby paused as he choked up.

"But to finish up. We just couldn't leave the banner and not know where it was," added Janet Barnaby.

The Barnabys said they'll take their son's banner to the cemetery on Memorial Day, then place it in a cedar chest with the rest of his things. Rather than a banner, they said the moments that have brought them closure are signs from God that Adam was OK.

Kerri Simms came from Farmington to get her brother's banner. Johnnie Richey was one the five people who died at the Joplin Elks Lodge during the tornado. He was an Elk member, a bowler, a good guy who helped everyone he could, she said.

"He always thought that no one would miss him if he was gone, but we had a six-and-a-half-hour visitation for him," Simms said. "They were just wrapped all around the streets that night."

She had run in the first two memorial runs, and had family and friends who ran in other ones.

"I think it's a wonderful event, I'm sad they're stopping it," Simms said. "I realize Joplin needs to move on, but to me it was a way that we could still honor those that died that day."

She said she plans to put her brother's banner in a shadow box in her home.

Tracy May, from Fort Scott, finished the 5K race with her best friend, Marci Daniels. She said this was the first time she has been back in Joplin in 13 years.

"My sister was one of the 161," May said. "I have not been to Joplin since the tornado happened. Because this was the last run, I needed to honor her by doing this run, by being here and by getting her banner," she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

The two women wore shirts honoring May's sister, Shelly Ramsey. The race was an emotional experience for her. The friends ran by her sister's banner and took a photo by it during the race.

"It's almost been a closure that I didn't have for 13 years," May said. "It's been a little overwhelming and a great experience. I'm glad I did it, it's been something that I've needed to do."

After about 30 minutes, most of the memorial banners along the street had been claimed. In their places were small, empty flag poles gently waving in the breeze. The final Joplin Memorial Run marked an end for some, but for the families it was another step in a long story.

"It makes me sad this is the last one, because they keep saying they're ending the chapter," May said. "But for the families of the 161, it doesn't end ours. I don't think that chapter will ever end because our loved ones aren't with us anymore."

2,300 runners

Ruth Sawkins, race director, said they had 2,300 runners sign up — the highest registration since the pandemic. Runners came from 28 states, three countries including the United States, Canada and a mother and daughter who flew in from Australia.

In returning the race to downtown Joplin, Sawkins said they believed it was important to return to where they started. Another major factor was that participants would be able to run through the banners for the first and last miles of the run.

"We felt like that was really important for the final year," Sawkins said. "We needed to make sure that everyone could run through the flags for a final time and see those names."

The Joplin Memorial Run first bought the 161 banners for $30,000 with money raised through a capital campaign. The idea came from a memorial run in Oklahoma City that honors the victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing.

"I don't think anyone had a clue how 161 banners would look in real life," Sawkins said. "When you finish the race, and you're already so tired, you see a mile of banners and names on both sides. It became so much better than what we had wanted, it became the icon of the event.

" ... Now we hope as they come to get the flags, it gives these families some closure. And hopefully, for those who didn't lose a loved one but experienced that scary day, it helps them too."