KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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A memorial honoring victims of the devastating 1957 Ruskin Heights tornado has been rebuilt after a teenage driver destroyed it last year, demonstrating the community's commitment to preserving the memory of one of Kansas City's most tragic weather events.
The F5 tornado that struck on May 20, 1957, killed 44 people and injured hundreds more, leveling the Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills communities.
The disaster left a permanent mark on survivors like Mike Smith, a retired meteorologist who was 5 years old at the time.
"The weather this morning is not that dissimilar to May 20, 1957," Smith said on Oct. 14, 2025. "Drizzly cloudy morning, not much wind, temperature around 70, but things changed when the warm front went through."
Smith lived nearby when the tornado struck with devastating force.
"I was exactly 13 blocks in that direction," he said. "Suddenly, my dad came rushing through the front door shouting, 'Here it comes.'"
While Smith's family survived, the destruction was complete in many areas.
"Nothing left," he said.
The tornado's impact was so severe that even well-built structures couldn't withstand it.
Smith said the disaster shaped his career path.
"To this day, I still remember the thought going through my mind, anything that could do that had to be pretty interesting. From that day, I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist, and my career goal never changed," Smith said.
The tornado also influenced his personal life, as his future wife lived just blocks away from the destruction.
Smith later wrote a book about weather warning systems, his life inspired by the heroic meteorologists who issued the first tornado warning during the 1957 storm.
"Even well-constructed and reinforced buildings, such as the high school and shopping centers, were destroyed," Smith read aloud from a passage in his book. "I've never seen destruction quite as complete. Even today, I don't have words that adequately convey the Ruskin Heights scene. The tornado's path was so long and so wide that in the middle of the damaged path, nothing but rubble was visible in all directions."
The memorial honoring the victims stood for decades until it was struck by a teenage driver.
"Sept. 2, 2024, it was hit by a teenage driver," said Beth Boerger, of the Ruskin Heights Neighborhood Association.
Boerger said the teenager didn't have insurance to fix the memorial, but the destruction sparked immediate community concern.
"This has got to be fixed, we've got to fix this," Smith said.
The neighbhorhood association received multiple calls asking when it would be rebuilt.
"It became very apparent how important it was," Boerger said.
The memorial's reconstruction was estimated to cost tens of thousands of dollars, but KC Stone in Belton donated all the stones and labor needed for the project.
"I'm so glad it's rebuilt, and it looks better than ever," Smith said.
For the community, the memorial serves as both a reminder of tragedy and a symbol of resilience.
"It reminds you of what happened to this community, and the community rebuilt [and] persevered in the time of hard times," Boerger said.
The 1957 tornado continues to influence how residents respond to severe weather warnings today.
"Every time a tornado comes, I get a little bit worried, knowing what that tornado did to this community. When it says there's a tornado warning, you can bet I'll get in the shelter," Boerger said.
The new memorial dedication ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday as part of Hickman Mills Community Day, a free event at 7000 E. 111th St. The community is invited to attend the dedication, which will include food, drinks, games, prizes and entertainment, along with speakers such as state representatives and city council representatives.
The neighborhood association is working to raise $10,000 for the plaques and lettering that were not included in the donation. You can visit the GoFundMe here.
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