BY LAUREN ZIMA
Several children are reported dead out of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Oklahoma and operations there have switched from search and rescue to recovery. But among the horror -- stories of heroism -- from teachers.
“We had to pull a car out of the front hallway off of a teacher, and she, I don’t know what the lady’s name is, but she had three little kids underneath her. Good job, teach.” (via CNN)
“Are you alright, bud? Have you had a chance to talk to your mom?”
“Yeah, she was on top of me. She was able to be with me.”
“Is she a teacher?”
“Yeah.” (via KOCO)
“Sixth grade teacher -- nothing short of a hero. She had kids with her in the bathroom. She laid on top of them as the storm passed through. They’re all alive, all accounted for.” (via KFOR)
Both Plaza Towers and nearby Briarwood were hit, though no deaths have been reported out of Briarwood. The tornado hit right near the end of the school day. ABC News spoke with two local teachers..
“I had them take their backpacks and put them over their heads, just as another safety precaution as they were down in the corner of our room. In the center of our building.”
And these stories, luckily -- have meant that many children are reunited with their parents. Here’s one heartbreaking moment at Briarwood Elementary, where a mother found her son. (Via The Oklahoman)
MOM: “I love you, honey.”
“Thank you for keeping him.”
“He was so brave. He was so brave.”
President Obama has declared a state of emergency in Oklahoma, where rescue and recovery work continues.
