Joplin man's wife, infant son killed: "I got to kiss him and tell him goodbye"

Another family torn apart forever by the horrific tornado that ripped through our town a week ago today.

During 4 p.m. services at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Webb City Monday, David Vanderhoofven will say goodbye to his wife and infant son, both of whom died in the tornado.

His story was told by Kansas City Star reporter Dawn Bormann:

The home he shared with his wife, Darian, and their 13-month old son, Joshua, lay in a heap. But he could hear a familiar voice from the rubble.

“Help me, help me, help me,” his wife cried out.

“She was hysterical,” he said later, fighting back tears. “I couldn’t hear Joshua. I finally got her to calm down and told her I loved her. I was climbing around the house throwing stuff around trying to get to her.”

Unaware of the city’s widespread damage, he left to find an ambulance. He returned empty-handed. By then, he knew it was too late.

“I couldn’t hear her anymore,” he said.

Strangers helped him clear debris. Someone had a chainsaw.

“And about two, two and a half hours later they pulled my baby out. He was the best baby in the world,” David Vanderhoofven said. “He just learned to walk. They did CPR on him, but he was blue and they couldn’t do anything for him.”

Eventually someone rapped tiny Joshua in a blanket and handed him to his father.

“I got to hold him and I got to kiss him and tell him goodbye,” he said.

From today's Joplin Globe, the obituaries of Joshua and Dee Vanderhoofven:

Joshua Vanderhoofven
Joshua Dean Vanderhoofven, 14 months, departed his worldly walk on Sunday, May 22, 2011, in the arms of his mother, as a result of that evening’s tornado in Joplin, Mo.


Joshua was born at Freeman Hospital in Joplin on March 28, 2010, to Darian Dee Vanderhoofven and David A. Vanderhoofven.

Joshua was a gift from God to both his parents. He was nearly always happy and smiling. He enjoyed watching Sponge Bob with his father and playing in his bounce swing. He had a voracious appetite. Joshua had just started to walk and liked to explore his home. He was the apple of his mother’s eye and he will be missed by all of his family.

Joshua is survived by his father, David, of the home; and his grandparents, David S. and Marilynn Vanderhoofven, of Aurora, Colo.; Gaylord “Charley” Weaver and Linda Weaver, of Springdale, Ark. He was dearly loved by all of his mother Darian’s survivors as well.

A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, May 30, at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 300 N. Pennsylvania, Webb City, Mo.

Dee Vanderhoofven

Darian “Dee” Vanderhoofven, 44, left behind her mortal life on Sunday, May 22, 2011, in the rubble of her home caused by the tornador that evening.


Dee was born on June 28, 1966, to Gaylord “Charley” Weaver and Annette Denny Weaver in Dillon, Mont.

Darian moved to Joplin, Mo., in 2004, and met her future husband, David A. Vanderhoofvan. Dee and David were married Feb. 11, 2010 at Jack and Nancy Dawson’s log chapel in Webb City, Mo. It was a wish come true for Dee. Her seond wish, to be a mom, was fulfilled on March 28, 2010, with the birth of her son, Joshua Dean Vanderhoofven, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Tragically, Joshua accompanied his mother in death on May 22, 2011.

Darian’s third wish was unable to be honored.

Dee was passionate about organ, eye and tissue donation and served as the Joplin Regional Manager for the Heartland Lion’s Eye Bank. She strongly encouraged family and friends to become designated donors and she had also wished to donate. Howevr the tragic circumstances of her death prevented that from occurring.

Darian was an accomplished cook and loved to entertain, host a party or bake a theme cake for someone special. Dee collected art glass media. She was an animal lover and took in strays.

Dee held a deep belief in her Lord and Savior, Jesus, and was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church in Joplin. She was an open, easy going person who enjoyed making people laugh. Dee loved to visit, work in her garden or reminisce. Darian’s path in life crossed so very many others, and she was loved by many. She will be greatly missed by all of us.

Aunt Dee was held in especially high regard by the children of her siblings, and she had favored status in all their lives. They have been extremely sorrowed by her loss. They are Braedon and Jesse Day, of Tucson, Ariz., Jason Weaver, of Laramie, Wy., Kaili Holloway and Megan Weaver, of Casper, Wy., Kaden and Braylon Weaver, of Kingman, Ariz., and James Weaver, of Racine, Mo.

Darian is also survived by her husband, David A. Vanderhoofven, and two stepchildren, Megan and Brian Vanderhoofven, of Joplin, Mo.; her father, Gaylord “Charley” Weaver and his wife, Linda, of Springdale, Ark.; her father and mother-in-law, David S. and Marilynn Vanderhoofven, of Arvada, Colo.; her sister, Genelle Day and husband John, of Tucson; her brothers, Patrick Weaver and wife Amanda, of Kingman, Howard “Dean” Weaver, of Butte, Mont., and Dan Weaver and his wife, Cindy, of Racine; her stepbrother, Jeff Neal and his wife, Stephanie, and their children, Blake, Taylor and Tanner Neal, of Springdale, Ark.; brother and sister-in-law Philip and Sue Vanderhoofven, of Kailuah, Ha.; John and Abby Vanderhoofven, of El Paso, Texas; and Nathan Vanderhoofven, of Arvada, Colo.; and sister-in-law Daneen Weaver, of Casper.

A memorial service is scheduled for Monday, May 30, at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 300 N. Pennsylvania, Webb City, Mo.