The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

Teacher Saves Several Students During Oklahoma Tornado by Lying on Top of Them

To be a teacher is already to be a hero, but during Monday's monstrous tornado in the suburbs of Oklahoma City, Rhonda Crosswhite put her life directly on the line after first seeing that several of her students had taken refuge only moments before the twister devastated their school.

"I was in a [bathroom] stall with some kids and it just started coming down, so I laid on top of them," the sixth-grade teacher at Plaza Towers Elementary in Moore, Okla., told Savannah Guthrie on Tuesday's Today show. "One of my little boys just kept saying, 'I love you, I love you, please don't die with me.' But we're okay. We made it out."

All of the children who were with her are now safe, there was one minor injury – a cut to the head, said Crosswhite – and she herself emerged with only some scrapes on her feet, which she called "irrelevant, considering what could have happened."

"I never thought I was going to die," she said. "The whole time I just kept screaming to them, 'Quit worrying, we're fine, we're fine.' And I'm very loud, so I just hoped they could hear me, because I could hear them screaming. One girl, she's in my homeroom, was sobbing, and I was like, 'We're going to be fine, we're going to be fine, I'm protecting you.' And then I said a few prayers. 'God please take care of my kids.' And we're fine."

Recalling the tornado and its 200-m.p.h. winds, Crosswhite said, "I don't remember what it sounded like, honestly. It was like a freight train, but I don't remember much about it,'' she said about the sound of the tornado. "It felt like someone was beating me up from behind. The stuff was just coming down on my back. I thought I was fine, [but] I have cuts everywhere that I didn't even realize I had."

After the interview, Damian Britton, one of Crosswhite's charges during the ordeal, had something to give her. A great big hug.

"I told you we were going to be okay," she told him, as he murmured "Thank you" and the two dissolved into tears.

GlobalGiving is raising funds for emergency supplies for victims, as well as longer-term relief and rebuilding efforts. Donate online or text GIVE OK to 80088 to donate $10 to GlobalGiving's Oklahoma Tornado Relief Fund. Message and data rates may apply. Terms: mgive.org/t

[kuhio98]

Animal Rescue Photos from Oklahoma


June Simson and cat Sammi

Amid the death and destruction facing families left displaced by the tornado that struck several suburbs of Oklahoma on Monday, a handful of residents have been fortunate to return to the sites of their homes and come face-to-face with their furry friends.

Earlier in the week, Barbara Garcia was reunited with her missing dog during an on-camera interview, in which a member of the CBS News crew spotted her pup struggling to escape the debris.

Garcia's story is just one of many touching reunions, such as that of June Simson (above). Upon returning to the remains of her home, she discovered her cat, Sammi, covered in dirt but alive, standing atop the rubble.


Jessica Wilkinson and Alli Christian (left) share a sweet embrace with Bella

Jessica Wilkinson (right), whose Norman, Okla., home was left almost completely leveled, visited the scene and found a welcome surprise: dog Bella, who was returned to her by Alli Christian (left).


Christine Phillips takes a lunch break with Henry

In Moore, a community of 41,000 that saw some of the tornado's worst devastation, Henry the guinea pig received a well-deserved meal from Christine Phillips.


Maeghan Hadley does her best to keep this kitten in bright spirits

Members of the 1 Day Ranch pet rescue in Shawnee, Okla., did their part to aid further furry reunions by tending to the animals being rescued from the wreckage, like this pint-sized kitten in the hands of Maeghan Hadley.


There's no chance of these two being separated again

Over in Oklahoma City, a young boy kept a firm grip on his beloved pooch.

How you can help:
Displaced Oklahoma residents in search of their missing pets can also visit the Moore Oklahoma Tornado Lost and Found Animals Facebook page, where contributors have been posting photos of recovered animals.

GlobalGiving is raising funds for emergency supplies for victims, as well as longer-term relief and rebuilding efforts. Donate online or text GIVE OK to 80088 to donate $10 to GlobalGiving's Oklahoma Tornado Relief Fund. Message and data rates may apply. Terms: mgive.org/t