A tornado that would leave a 165-mile-long trail of death and destruction through six states in December 2021 demolished Mayfield Health and Rehabilitation in Mayfield, KY. But thanks to outstanding preparation and execution by staff members, what could have been one of the industry’s most tragic stories of the year became one of its proudest.

Cassie Morris, the assistant director of nursing at Mayfield, the top manager on site at the time, presciently led a practice drill just hours before the twister hit, saving countless resident and staff lives. Morris is one of the seven McKnight’s Women of Distinction Spirit Award winners being honored at the event’s in-person ceremony Thursday night in Chicago.

Moderator James M. Berklan takes us back to that eventful night five months ago with insights from Morris and Sarah Stewart, the company’s regional director of operations, to discuss the challenges — and what went, oh, so right.