“The wind had gotten strong, fast. Danielle watched her husband hunched over, struggling against the wind to get to safety, only to realize safety wasn’t safe …”

On May 22, 2011, Joplin, Missouri, was hit by a tornado, historic in size. The path it left changed the city and its inhabitants forever. Danielle C. Stammer reveals how her family survived at St. John’s Hospital and recounts the emotions and choices they made to get their family through the tornado and the following days, weeks, and months. It is a journey of renewal and growth in the midst of heart-wrenching losses.

Singing Over Me weaves fear and trust with grief and healing. It is honest and inspiring, offering hope for any loss.

While driving into the darkness, Danielle realized that this could turn into a bad situation at any moment, so she voiced her fears in prayer, “Lord, please watch over our family. We need your help.” As they crested the small hill leading to St. John’s, they could see transformers exploding as white, hot light sliced through the ominous blackness at the intersection in front of them.

“Go to Freeman!” Danielle shouted in desperation. “No,” Andrew replied quickly. “There’s no time. We’re here.”
Andrew rounded the corner, pulled up directly beside the hospital’s eastern basement entrance, and parked under the awning of a glass entryway. “Are you going to park here?” Danielle asked in alarm, thinking of all the people who would be coming in after them and all the people who would need to get out after the tornado scare was over.
“Yes, I’m going to park here,” Andrew firmly replied. He knew there wasn’t much time now.

DANIELLE C. STAMMER and her family experienced firsthand the EF-5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri. She and her husband, Andrew, have since relocated to Jefferson City, Missouri, where Danielle is a full-time mom to Emily and Ethan, while expecting their third. Singing Over Me is her first publication.