Some months ago I scheduled the blog post for this day, a Friday Flick Faceoff around the theme of natural disaster movies including Twister. Then the Joplin tornado happened, and I didn’t want to write that post anymore. Then I learned about the incredible life of Will Norton.
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On May 22, a devastating tornado hit Joplin, Missouri. Millions of people now know the story of Will Norton, the 18 year old who could not survive the storm that struck as he drove home from his high school graduation service.
The storm ripped him from his vehicle even as his father in the passenger seat struggled to hold him. A cell phone and graduation cap were the only thing found until Will’s body was discovered a few days later. He was reportedly reciting Scripture in those final moments. But the story goes deeper.
I first heard about Will through Amy, one of my original blogging acquaintances. Her family survived the deadly tornado despite harrowing conditions that she recounted in a powerful way. Her description of the town in the days following the tragedy will shake you.
I learned about the discovery of Will’s body when I came across a link Amy put on Facebook. She only added “What an amazing life. Thinking today about Will’s family and friends.” The search for the high school grad had come to an unhappy end, but Amy linked to a video called “50″ by Will Norton. I got choked up when I watched it, kind of like the way I feel now as I write this.
What an amazing life, passionate and full in such a short time.
Will drew thousands of subscribers to his YouTube channel and also used Twitter. His final tweet from the day he died simply said, “I’m graduating today!”
As the sad irony of that statement sunk in I scanned down the page and was shocked at what I saw. His second to last tweet pierced me as chills cascaded along my back. The message read:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36
I froze. Things like that just don’t happen.
I searched on and found Will’s Tmblr page. A variety of images and words filled the page from months of random postings. He bubbled over with excitement after getting accepted to Chapman University in California for their exclusive film and media arts program.
And then I came to this senior photo taken in late 2010 and posted by Will:
Given the circumstances surrounding his death, I find this picture almost impossible. My heart felt thick in my chest, and I couldn’t stop thinking about this young man.
When a tragedy like the events in Joplin strikes, we burn with questions. Our human understanding will never figure out the answers no matter how much we struggle to understand all those ‘why’ questions.
Think of the work to be done. Joplin faces so much rebuilding. Think of families like Will’s who will never go back to normal again. You can never go back after a disaster like that.
Sometimes the best we can do is try to find some beauty in the storm. The heart and words of Amy who literally lived to tell the story contained beauty. The care of Ellie and her family at The Gig also struck me. They’ve raised money for a great guy named Mark who also lost everything.
And there was a lot of beauty in the life of Will Norton, a guy I can’t wait to meet someday. Less than a month before he died he put this out on Twitter:
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:4
This world is sometimes filled with darkness as black as the terrible skies over Joplin that day. We’ve got to find the light. Not only did Will discover the light for himself, but even now in death his time here shines for the rest of us to see.
Watch that video Amy passed along about 50 things Will had already done in his life. What a full life he lived in such a short time. Then let your mind work over the thoughts and questions that will inevitably come.
Let’s take on the challenge to live lives that are full and meaningful. We can determine to make an impact on others in the way that Will and the folks of Joplin have shown. Find the light. Be the light.
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Update: The response to this post has been amazing, a touching tribute to a special young man. Many of you have come from the Facebook page for Will where his life is being honored by his family, friends, and others who want to pass on a sympathetic word.
Visit the Will Norton Page on Facebook to learn more about how you can honor Will, celebrate his life, and contribute to the ongoing rebuilding efforts in Joplin.
Great post, Clay. Thanks for sharing this.
Will was one of my best friends we could not find him for 5 dayse we found late friday we his pastor told us he was gone. RIP will
I very much needed to see this first thing this morning, thank you.
i cried
I cried like he was my own when I first saw his video. Beautiful tribute, Clay. I’m sure Will’s family and friends heal a tiny bit over your words remembering a perfect stranger.
I’m sure he was excited about his acceptance to college, but I can’t quite wrap my mind around how much more thrilled he must have been with his acceptance into Heaven. Well done, good and faithful one, indeed.
I only focused on the tragedy of losing such an incredible young man, but you are so right, in he is where he belongs! I think of how much he could have accomplished in his life. Now I think of how many lives he has touched, in a personal way, that he has never met.
Will accomplished more during his 18 years on earth than most of us could ever accomplish by 80! But the truly remarkable thing is what he, his family, and tributes like this have managed to accomplish through this incredible loss. God says to give thanks in all circumstances. Sometimes, that’s hard to do. But I’ve seen beauty rise from these ashes. This story has transformed more lives in 3 weeks than most churches do in 100 years! Those of us who have been drawn to this story have been blessed to see God at work through this family and through folks like you. Thanks, Clay. Your tribute touched deep into my very soul…..
Thanks Clay for sharing. The key is never miss the oppurtunity to tell the ones around you how much they mean to you, try and not have a harsh word, try and forgive the ones that seem so hard to forgive, don’t forget today right now to tell the ones you love, that you love them. Today might be the only chance you get. Today might be the last day you see them or they see you til you meet again in Heaven. Today is all you have, because no one knows about tomorrow but or FATHER…..
What a tribute. Thanks for telling us more about Will Norton. I wish everyone would live so fully and passionately!
Just watched the “50″ video. Wow, he did more in his few years than most people do in several decades.
Tears are good for the soul, right? I’ve shed mine today. Thanks for sharing!
I am awed by this post. However did you manage to write it without breaking down entirely? I am left breathless by sadness,heart twisted up by the loss of this boy and the grace God poured out into his too-short life? What a privilege to read Will’s story in YOUR words, Clay. God chose well, choosing him AND you.
Man, how very sad! My heart is heavy reading this story. Thanks for sharing about Will’s life. This is a moving post. And such an encouraging challenge at the end.
Thanks for sharing, Clay. Will’s story really puts things in perspective. In such a tragedy, it is comforting that there are people like you to commemorate his life.
Wonderfully written, Clay. Will really shows us all that it’s not the length of life lived that matters, but how full you live it. His second to last tweet has me welling up. I’ll be praying his family and friends.
I was also struck by his story and learned about him from Amy.
His “50″ video when she posted a link… I was in awe. It told so much about him.
His story really made me think about what was important.
Thanks again for sharing his and Amy’s story.
Clay,
I can’t write this to you without tears because you’ve so perfectly captured a life, our community, and given us some meaning to hang on to. Thank you so much for writing these words. You’ve really given everyone, but especially those of us in Joplin, an amazing gift. This is what we’re searching for right now — meaning and, ultimately, some “beauty in the storm.” Who better than Will’s life through your words to remind us of the beauty in this tragedy?
Amy
I’m honored Amy. Will’s family, yourself, and the rest of Joplin truly are inspiring millions.
Thank you for sharing Will’s story, Clay. Learning to be comfortable with not understanding is always a challenge. I will keep his family in my prayers.
I had been following Will’s story, too – via Amy and Twitter, but it never occurred to me to blog about him. I didn’t know about the post that he had put on Twitter a month before, and I hadn’t seen that picture of him in his car. Will’s was a life filled with possibility, cut too short. Sometimes i wonder if Billy Joel really did get it right when he sang: “Only the good die young.”
I have no words.
What a wonderful work of writing. Thank you so much for this!
Mark Norton
(Will’s Dad)
Thank you so much for taking the time to say that. Your story is touching many lives. Be blessed.
Hi Clay, this was such a touching story. Thank you so much for sharing it.
I’ve lived in Missouri most of my life. While I don’t have family in Joplin, many of my friends do–and sadly, DID. The devastation and loss of life is heartbreaking. Only a couple of weeks before the Joplin tornado, my own town, Maryland Heights, was hit very hard by an apparent tornado, too. And yet we lost NOT ONE life. It’s so arbitrary. Our town was amazed that we only lost possessions (including many entire homes), while Joplin lost so much more. We realized how lucky we were; everyone here was saying, “That could have been us…” What happened to Joplin has been (even more) eye-opening for my town, my friends & family, and definitely for me. I don’t take a single moment for granted.
I wrote about our town’s April 22 tornado, which hit during my little girl’s Harry Potter birthday party (http://marylandheights.patch.com/articles/ignorance-is-magical) and then again after Joplin was hit (http://marylandheights.patch.com/articles/photographs-and-memories). I tried to keep it brief and light-hearted. My column is just one person’s POV among many who live here.
Stories like Will Norton’s are among the most powerful and touching ones that have come from the Joplin tragedy. Surely there are more to come, and they will be about how people from everywhere helped the residents and families on the path to rebuilding and healing. Our own town saw a huge outpouring of support from surrounding communities, and Joplin is getting that, too. They **REALLY** need it. If anyone would like to help Joplin, here are a few ways: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/23/joplin.how.to.help/index.html Even the youngest residents can help: my kids held a lemonade stand and donated all money to the American Red Cross. They made $49.38 in three hours!
Thanks again for sharing this. I love reading your site and following you on Twitter.
-Amanda
Wow. Powerful.
Wow! This is my favorite post of yours yet. Loved it!
How powerful thank you for writing this i’m from joplin though i did not know Will personally i have come to know him through others.
Very touching and powerful indeed! So many of us that didn’t know Will in real life, feel like we knew him and his family as we travel this weary path with them. Will seemed to be a very outgoing and positive young man with many great things to come his way. So sad his life on earth as we know it came to an abrupt end so soon. He was an inspiration to many! Thanks for taking the time to write this article!
What a powerful story and an incredible young man…Will…I too have followed this…Thanks for sharing these thought that I had read…..Deb in Illinois….
Will was my friend AND my children’s friend. He was amazing, funny, childlike and yet so full of grace and kindness! My children and I traveled with him a little for tennis, we all bowled together and drank lots of energy drinks! We love him and miss him. I’ve worn zebra print and my African coins everyday since the tornado just because of Will. My children and I will just randomly recite some of his funniest lines throughout our days. As much as we hurt and miss him, it can never compare to the emptiness that Mark, Trish and Sara must feel as well as the rest of their family. I pray for them and others here in Joplin and elsewhere that have lost their family or friends. I know that God so lovingly used Will for His purposes here and so I am assured He will use Will even more in heaven!
We live an hour to the south of Joplin and went those first few days to help prepare food. As people came they wanted to tell their story, many were in the only clothes they owned, without shoes. For days there were more storms and the sirens would go off, it was just terrible. So many missing and so many without homes. It will be a long time until Joplin can rebuild but the loss of life, and this young man with his life cut short is hard to understand. His family have 18 wonderful years of memories to comfort them, their faith and Will’s faith will be the greatest comfort of all.
I blogged about those days…
http://grannymountain.blogspot.com/2011/05/nydailynews.html
http://grannymountain.blogspot.com/2011/06/lot-of-people-raised-their-hand-last.html
Beautiful post. I found it through Facebook and am glad that you are on WordPress.
God bless.
WOW! I have been following the story of Will- but this-was so powerful. So many of us have been touched by this incredible and inspiring man. God must be smiling and saying “Well done, Will”. What more can we ask for as parents?
Thank you!
Thank you for writing this wonderful story about Will. I cannot stop thinking about this young man, his father and the rest of his family. What a full life he had in the short years while he was on earth. He sounds like he was an amazing young man, and I just loved watching his videos on youtube, and yes, the picture that you posted of Will standing up in his hummer and sticking out of his sunroof is very, very creepy!
This post is awesome. Thanks for posting it!
In the 50 video, notice what he said at 1:18 — this wasn’t his first tornado encounter.
I believe that, not only is it natural to ask questions surrounding any person’s death, but it’s the right thing to do — if for no reason other than self-examination. There’s no way I could pretend to know what this guy was really like, no matter how many friends & family members I interviewed or how much I researched his life, so I won’t even go there. Where I will (no pun intended) go is to the mirror. It’s tragic to see folks die young (especially younger than you) but then I see God being glorified in stories like his. Here’s the big question: am I living my life so that Jesus will be glorified when I’m gone, or is everyone just going to talk about me?
Beautifuly written. I’ve spent hours and hours these past two weeks laying in bed awake thinking all these exact things, trying to make sense of everything- from time, posts, life, etc. It’s amazing, unbelievable. I never met Will, I do recall seeing a YouTube posts years back, but I feel so connected to this guy and feel like I’ve known him for years, a beautiful stranger. -Paul
I followed the search for will on Facebook and prayed constantly that week. I was so saddened to hear he did not survive. I am amazed at Will for the person he was and what be became for everyone who read his story. I appreciate your blog. It is wonderfully written. I am sure Will would think so too. Thank you for sharing.
THis is amazing, beautiful and touching. I had chills while reading this. Thank you for sharing this tribute with the world!
Well done.
I’d love to share this with my friends on FB, but it won’t allow me to. Will and his family need to be shared!
I find this picture of Will that he did himself back in 2010 absolutely Amazing! Looking down from Heaven at himself coming up out of the Hummer!! The Irony of it all!!!!!!!!!!!! Of how the tornado pulled him up out of this Hummer and took his life on up into heaven…….. God was in this photo at the time Will created it!!! I truely believe that sometimes God gives us pre-visions but he doesn’t always let us know it at the time………God is still working through the life of Will Norton!!!!
THIS IS SPOOKY AND BEAUTIFUL ALL IN ONE…MAY HE REST IN PEACE AS WELL AS ALL THE REST WHO LOST THEIR LIVES ON THAT HORRIBLE DAY THAT THE SKYIES WENT BLACK.
Beautiful Clay
Outstanding.
I want to cry reading this… thank you for putting a face on this disaster.
Wow. I am not an overly-emotional person, but this post brought tears to my eyes. I must say, however, that I love the way that you remember and focus on his life and his testimony. I got chills when I read the verse from Matthew 24:36. You’re right; things like that don’t just happen. The hand of God was all over that situation.
I have no doubt that Will was an amazing young man, and I thank you for sharing this post, Clay.
This is a great article! Will truly was a fantastic guy! Being one of Will’s close friends I find comfort reading this article. Im so glad that you were able to capture Will like he truly was. He really was able to do many things that most 18 year old kids could never dream about achieving by now, but when he set his mind to do something he did it! He lived a great life and I wish you all could of seen him everyday like I did. He was such a happy guy. We have talked many times about how we never saw him mad, and we couldnt ever remember him saying anything bad about anyone, instead he would say something possitive about them. He had a smile that could brighten anyones day! Mark and Trish really do have a reason to be proud of Will, Im sure proud I knew him like I did! Miss you Will!
I hadn’t heard Will’s story. Thank you so much for posting. What an amazing young man.
What an amazing young Man. I was touched by your story, but more touched by the life he led.
Thank you for writing this… I would like to share my story about Will Norton with you… i hope you read it and share with others. Will is still performing miracles in my life that prove he is alive and in heaven with God. (https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/notes/rose-fogarty/my-personal-story-of-how-will-norton-led-me-to-joplin/10150201437631229)
Like Leanne, I am almost speechless…thanks to you and Amy for telling us about Will’s life!
Wendy
sounds like a great person. God bless him.
We love you Will <3 .
These tragic events, although horrid in themselves, become so much more real and close to our hearts/homes when we connect with the people involved. Our prayers are with his family. This was a great piece.
Nicely done Clay.
Beth
This post was so beautiful and I am bawling like a baby. I can’t even imagine the pain his family is feeling. Thanks for taking time to write such an amazing testimony to a life and let him touch hearts that might have been otherwise missed. You are a wonderful person and I am blessed to call you my friend. You have a servant’s heart and I am proud how you served this family in their darkest hours by honoring the light.
FYI Clay if you haven’t seen this, it’s a video from Will’s sister, Sara:
https://www.youtube.com/thestyleblog
I had not seen that Amanda. Thank you. So powerful. What an amazing family.
I was coming on here to tell you about Sara’s video – I’m glad someone already had! I’m amazed at Sara’s strength. The video she took driving down the neighborhood is my street. My house is one of the first ones she recorded (that’s still standing). Kind of crazy to see it with her words in the background.
That’s amazing Amy. So powerful to hear Sara’s account. The images are just hard to believe. I’m so thankful you and your family made it. The Nortons are an amazing family.
Wow. Great article Clay.
I’ve searched for Will’s Tmblr page but haven’t been able to find it. I’m wondering if it’s been taken down. Can you provide a link to it?