GREENSBORO, N.C. — Every American community grappled with COVID in 2021 but the stories of the Piedmont Triad are unique.
The year started with a rush for vaccines in January. Some were frustrated in the early months as they waited for appointments to open up.
The Federal government brought a vaccine site to the Four Seasons Town Center in Greensboro.
"We're grateful for what we have because these vaccines are over and above our allocation that we're getting already," Governor Roy Cooper said.
Slowly, more adults got their shots, and in the fall, kids and teens. Vaccines helped get students back into the classroom.
Guilford County students returned to the classroom full-time in the spring with masking required.
Other districts chose not to require masks in the fall, sparking debate.
Some won big bucks along with protection from COVID. Four people in the Triad won the state's vaccine lotteries.
Of course, there were other stories outside of COVID.
Remember those long lines at the pump in May? It was all caused by a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline.
The Triad saw some wild weather. There was an ice storm in Greensboro and a tornado went through neighborhoods in High Point.
A thousand-acre wildfire burned on Pilot Mountain in the fall.
Then there was the heartbreak.
Five people died in a standoff in Boone. Two were Watauga County deputies. Triad law enforcement offered tributes to their sacrifice.
In Rockingham County, five people died in a tubing accident when a family went over a Duke Energy dam on the Dan River.
The story that shook us all in 2021 was a deadly shooting at Mount Tabor High School. One student died and the teenage suspect was arrested. Dozens of their peers were left scarred.
We all came to know the meaning of Spartan Strong as the school's community supported each other and searched for solutions.
There was similar support in Kernersville. The community held raffles and fundraisers to support Officer Sean Houle after he was shot in the face during a traffic stop.
He reunited with his family after weeks in the hospital, later returning to thank the doctors who saved his life.
He retired alongside his K9 in an emotional ceremony.
The Triad economy rebounded. The Tanger Center opened after years of waiting and delays.
Then, Toyota chose the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite for an electric car battery plant. It is expected to create hundreds of jobs.
As we close the book on 2021, the stories of 2022 will soon begin. Some will be difficult. Others will inspire. The Triad will face them all together.