Original video feature by Shawn Loging, KMOV 4 News, May 6, 2026
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Next week will mark a year since many lives were turned upside down and destroyed by the May 16 tornado.
As many people work to rebuild, some survivors are finding support to navigate what is a new and challenging process. LifeWise STL is working with survivors to meet their needs in addressing essential repairs and daily necessities. LifeWise is one of the agencies providing disaster case management while hundreds of people navigate a complex journey.
Tyiece Howard’s job requires a lot of house calls, like a recent visit to Lisa Brumfield’s home in Kingsway East.
“What LifeWise is doing and is going to do has made a tremendous difference. It has helped me sleep a little better at night,” Brumfield said.
Brumfield’s home was damaged by the May 16 tornado; she said the roof needs to be replaced and the back porch torn down. Brumfield said that when it storms, she sometimes sees leaks in different parts of the home.
Brumfield has lived in her home for six decades. She reached out to different agencies after the tornado and left her information with people.
“I reached out to my insurance company, FEMA, all of it. All of it just fell through. Then, I’m not sure which agency I had left my information with, but then I got a call from LifeWise,” Brumfield said.
“For me to have insurance and pay for it, and you do nothing at a time like this, that’s just insane to me. Even with FEMA, they came out several times and nothing,” she said.
She said when that call came from LifeWise STL and it connected her to Howard, a disaster case manager, it got pieces falling into place. It helped Brumfield get connected with a contractor.
“This house was given to me by my parents. I inherited it, so I take care of my house,” Brumfield said.
“It takes a special type of person to work in this industry. You have to have a love and a passion because you’re going to have good days and bad days,” Howard said.
Howard has experience in disaster case management, working in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Right now, she works with more than 20 clients to build relationships and develop plans, helping survivors connect with resources.
“The recovery plan is based on their unmet needs. You sit down with your survivor and you work through what the needs are. So if it’s housing, if it’s rental assistance, if it’s food, just various things that could have impacted them from the tornado,” Howard said.
Some of the resources provided include home repairs, food, clothing and crisis counseling programs. It’s also working to educate on contractor fraud.
“The largest thing that case managers like Tyiece are offering people is a way to recover with dignity. It’s a lot to know that you need help. It’s even more to ask for it,” said Dallas Adams, LifeWise STL disaster case manager supervisor.
LifeWise’s disaster case management is for people 60 and older with unmet disaster-related needs.
Adams said 30% of those affected by the tornado were over 60.
“We knew through the work that LifeWise has traditionally done with seniors that there was going to be a significant need for that fair level of assistance to even apply and navigate through the resources,” Adams said.
LifeWise is not a disaster case management agency. It’s a social service agency that was hired to help people recover from the tornado.
That was seen at Yolanda Peyton’s new home, which came about after working with Howard and LifeWise STL.
“It’s everything and more to be able to walk into your own house and have a key,” said Peyton.
Peyton said the May 16 tornado destroyed hers and she was injured in the disaster.
“The tornado blew off the roof, and then it blew a tree down. In front of the tree was a door landing on my leg, putting a hole in my leg,” Peyton said.
Peyton, 66, went to resources across the city.
“I went to every resource in the City of St. Louis from 2-1-1 to Urban League to the Red Cross. They just was out of funds. It wasn’t nothing on me. It was just, they just didn’t have enough money for everybody to go around,” Peyton said.
She said LifeWise connected her with resources for hotel stays and other services before moving in last month. LifeWise connected her with a program to provide rental assistance. It comes in time for Peyton’s birthday later this week, and she describes her new home as the best possible present.
“She’s more than just a case manager. She’s like a young auntie. She is a beautiful woman to work with. She’s been everything to me,” Peyton said.
Howard said it’s not just about meeting physical needs but also emotional ones.
“What I found is that many of those survivors are learning that they are emotionally distressed, and so taking use of the crisis counseling program has been an asset,” Howard said.
It’s also reassurance for Peyton and Brumfield that there’s someone to offer support.
“I know obstacles do come in the way, but I know everything is going to be, I feel confident everything is going to, you know, it’s going to work out,” Brumfield said.
Each disaster case manager has a caseload of 20 to 25 clients. Howard said she generally calls clients with significant needs once a week.
Adams said one of the largest needs is housing support because people have to be out of their homes during repairs or have been displaced.
“We’re still encountering people who have been in a hotel since the beginning. The disruption that that has on their everyday life,” Adams said.
Adams said recovery doesn’t happen alone.
“There’s really no client that we have that doesn’t pass through other agencies. We’re very grateful for our partnerships,” Adams said.
LifeWise has partnerships with Home Sweet Home, Dream Builders for Equity, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and other service providers. The agency recently worked with Mission St. Louis, Justine Petersen and Tabernacle CDC to help someone buy a new house.
LifeWise STL’s disaster case management is funded through a contract with the City of St. Louis. The city is also contracted with the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and HOPE.
Adams said, “We’ve been learning how to build the plane and plan the route as we’re flying it.”
Adams said she hopes there will be more coordination and speed as other resources become unlocked.
“I hope that we can continue to advocate for federal and state resources and to be creative and to think about what we might be able to unlock with the help of our representatives to bring wins back for the city of St. Louis, specifically Northside,” Adams said.
Howard said part of this work is advocating for their clients to access funding on the local, state and federal level to meet the long-term needs of this recovery.
“Bring home the funds so we can help our survivors that have been impacted by this tornado so we can move forward and be better as a people,” Howard said.
Adams said the entire city felt the impact of the tornado in some way or another, and it’s going to take significant time to come out the other side.
“It’s going to be a strain on our resources to make sure that all of our neighbors can safely live and have a future in the city of St. Louis. That’s going to require grace and patience from every single resident in the entire city,” Adams said.
“Even when things might be confusing or it seems like recovery is taking a long time, it will be years worth of recovery. We’re going to need grace and patience to make sure that our neighbors know that we’re there for them in this time of need,” she said.
Anybody who has been impacted by the tornado is eligible for disaster case management services.
People can go on STL Recovers’ website for details on disaster case management.
Copyright 2026 KMOV. All rights reserved.
