She survived the last EF5 tornado at age 8. 12 years later, she’s studying to be a meteorologist.

Twelve years ago, the last EF5 tornado to hit the United States tore through Moore, Oklahoma. The violent storm carved a path of destruction through neighborhoods, killing 24 people and injuring dozens more.

Aria Vargyas was just 8 years old when her school, Briarwood Elementary, collapsed around her. She was rescued and survived. But her two sisters, 4-year-old Karrina and 7-month-old Sydnee, died when the tornado flattened their house.

“After being told that I had lost my sisters, it was just a blur,” Aria said.

In the years that followed, Aria searched for ways to make sense of what happened — and to make sure other families wouldn’t face the same kind of loss.

Now 20, she is studying meteorology at Texas A&M University. She wants to predict the very storms that changed her family’s life.

“I don’t want a family to go through what I did, especially. I don’t want an 8-year-old sister to lose their siblings. I don’t want parents to lose their kids,” Aria said.

Although she can’t bring them back, their memories live on. A bench at Briarwood Elementary bears Karrina’s name. A locket around Aria’s neck holds a photo of the three sisters. She still has the letters she wrote to them after the storm as a way to cope with the pain

“I hate that you’re never coming back,” one reads. “And I hate that I have to realize that.”

Her father Phillip Vargyas is very proud of her. “It would have been easy for her to use this as an excuse for not moving forward,” He said.  “She didn’t give up right after she lost her sisters, which should be easy to do.”

Aria Vargyas is guided by loss, but moving forward with purpose — toward a future where more families have time to get out.