Western Kentucky University photojournalism major, Gunnar Word, woke up early the morning after the devastating tornado outbreak that had ripped through the western portion of the state leveling communities and killing 77 people December 10 and 11, 2021. Word, a junior, began documenting the destruction near the university campus. What started as a one day exploration of his community turned into a week long assignment documenting the aftermath of the storms for Agence France-Presse (AFP) who distributed the images via Getty Images. Throughout the week, Word’s images ended up being published on NBC, ABC, CBS, Washington Post, The New York Times, and many others. Here are a few of the images from a week that will forever change our community of Bowling Green.
Neighbors walk down what remains of 13th Avenue in Bowling Green, Kentucky after a tornado touched down around 1:30am on December 11th, 2021. According to Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky the EF-3 tornado killed at least 70 people along its 200 mile path
Bowling Green, Kentucky resident Latonya Webb is overcome with emotion as she explains surviving the tornado that hit Bowling Green, Kentucky on December 11, 2021.
Two children sit stunned after being awoken in the middle of the night by the tornado that touched down in Bowling Green, Kentucky around 3am on the morning of December the 11, 2021. According to Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky the EF-3 tornado killed at least 70 people along its 200 mile path.
Muhammad Raad helps his friends mother sort through what is left of her belongings after extreme weather hit the area, in Bowling Green, Kentucky on December 13, 2021.
A resident of “The Cardinal Inn” in Bowling Green Kentucky surveys the damages done after a tornado touched down around 1:30am on December 11th, 2021. According to Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky the EF-3 tornado killed at least 70 people along its 200 mile path.
Kitty Williams Holds up a sign that survived the storm as her friends and family help gather her belongings of what is left of his house after extreme weather hit the area, in Bowling Green, Kentucky on December 13, 2021. – Kentucky officials voiced relief Monday that dozens of workers at a candle factory appear to have survived tornadoes that killed at least 88 people and left a trail of devastation across six US states.