March 24, some students finished course assignments, some relaxed and others mourned the loss of their hometowns. A series of deadly tornadoes and strong thunderstorms swept across Mississippi, killing at least 25 people and leaving a 100-mile trail of destruction. 
Amory, a town of about 6,470, saw widespread damage from the EF-3 tornado that pushed through the rural area overnight at 155 mph. The storm headed toward Amory after flattening Rolling Fork, eventually stopping its rotation in northern Alabama.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported no deaths in Amory. Monroe County, however, suffered two fatalities and damage to 1,476 homes and 29 public roads.
Some MSU students never thought a tornado would hit so close to home.
MSU football player Jartavis “J.J.” Jernighan’s love for the sport extends back to his days playing on the Amory High School football field.
A field where Jernighan left his blood, sweat and tears – a field surrounded by stands that used to be packed with hundreds of fans under the Friday night lights – no longer resembles a football field.
The goalposts no longer have poles. The former press box on the home-side bleachers is now inside the bleachers. Vending machines are toppled over and buried under the roof of the concession stand. Jernighan said he now holds on to memories.
“It’s just hard to believe that it happened,” Jernighan said. “I thought about all the good memories made there and wondered what it will look like now, after the renovations.”
Jernighan said a tree limb tore through his parents’ bedroom and closet. His aunt and uncle lost their home.
Churches sat with exposed wooden frame work with no walls or roofs on the west side of Amory. Uprooted trees laid over homes with soggy pink and yellow insulation covering beds and floors.
Other homes were decimated, leaving only the concrete foundation behind. In the storm’s wake, Jernighan said he worried about everyone’s safety.
“In such a short time so much damage was done, but it’s brought so many people together,” Jernighan said. “It’s been good to see everybody helping each other out and checking in on them. It’s also been great being able to help others during this time.”
Kyra Kirk, a junior elementary education major, has lived in Amory for the last 15 years. During the storm’s rage, Kirk asked herself, “Is this really happening right now?”
The Amory Skate Center was known as a childhood hub for friendship, fun and laughter until it suffered devastating damage from the storm. The Amory Humane Society was demolished. Amory High School, where Kirk received her high school diploma in 2019, was also damaged.
“Walking across Longenecker Field is something you don’t forget. It’s a special experience,” Kirk said. “For [the seniors] to have that literally wiped away from them so close to the end, it hurts my heart.”
Being away from home was another pain in Kirk’s heart. She recalled mapping out all the routes to get to her house and how quickly she could load her car with supplies. Kirk said only her family’s advice to stay in Starkville kept her from heading home.
“I think the hardest part was knowing they could’ve been gone, and I could be all alone right now. They’re my support system, even when I make mistakes,” Kirk said. “It definitely made me want to hug them a little tighter every day.”
Davis Helton, a senior biochemistry major and 2022’s Mr. MSU, was a former pitcher for the Amory Panthers baseball team. Not only did Helton spend six years playing on the field, but he spent much of his life attending games.
The Amory High School baseball field Helton once knew sustained major damage. Weights from a workout bench were covered in debris. The scoreboard was bent at a 90-degree angle. Senior banners formerly strung along a wooden fence were buried in dirt and the stands’ metal scraps. Helton said the site “definitely pulled at the heartstrings.”
“My freshman year, the team and the families of the team members rebuilt the fence in the outfield and behind home plate, so just to see it completely destroyed the way it was, was just a ‘wow’ moment,” Helton said.
Helton said being away from home during a tragic time made him feel like he “should be doing more” to help the community. For now, he sends a message to Amory’s baseball team and community to keep working hard.
“For the team, they’re showing their resilience just by being on the field to play the game of baseball. For the community of Amory, after people made sure their families were okay, they started making sure their neighbors were okay,” Helton said. “So, just keep fighting and know that everyone is there for each other.”