Photographer gets snapshot of OKC courage - CNN

Photographer captures snapshots of courage after tornado levels OKC school

By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN

Updated 1130 GMT (1930 HKT) May 23, 2013

Steve and LaDonna Cobb take children away from Briarwood Elementary after a tornado destroyed the school Monday.
Steve and LaDonna Cobb take children away from Briarwood Elementary after a tornado destroyed the school Monday.

Story highlights

  • Woman in one of the images: "We'll heal. We're here. That's what's most important"
  • Photographer for The Oklahoman arrived at school 5 minutes after tornado leveled it
  • Rescue officials had yet to arrive, but injured teachers were ferrying students from rubble
  • Photographer: "Seeing parents come together with their children ... was exciting"
Photographer Paul Hellstern snapped his shutter just minutes after the tornado reduced Oklahoma City's Briarwood Elementary School to rubble.
In that fraction of a second, he captured the courage and selflessness that overcame adults at the school in the moments after the Monday devastation.
"I'd just arrived, probably five minutes after the tornado passed, and came into that neighborhood and noticed that school there and children pouring out," he told CNN's Chris Cuomo. "It was pandemonium, with children crying everywhere, bloody teachers and so forth."
Cameras ready, the photographer for The Oklahoman, the Oklahoma City area's only daily newspaper, ran as quickly as he could to capture images from the scene.
Teachers save lives during tornado
A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/midwest-weather/index.html">View more photos of the aftermath in the region</a> and another gallery of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/gallery/oklahoma-tornado-aerials/index.html">aerial shots of the damage</a>.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/midwest-weather/index.html">View more photos of the aftermath in the region</a> and another gallery of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/gallery/oklahoma-tornado-aerials/index.html">aerial shots of the damage</a>.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A message is left by a homeowner who lost his home in the May 20 tornado on Monday, May 27, in Moore, Oklahoma. View more photos of the aftermath in the region and another gallery of aerial shots of the damage.
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Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Left to right, Jaqi Castro, Angelica Morris-Smith and Cetoria Petties walk through a tornado ravaged neighborhood handing out supplies to residents and fellow volunteers on May 27.
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Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents gather in the First Baptist Church for the Oklahoma Strong memorial service on Sunday, May 26, to honor victims of the recent deadly tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.
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Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Preschooler Keltin Marazzi, front center, stands on stage with other school children during the memorial service.
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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin addresses the audience on May 26.
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Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tornado victims Christa and Russell Smith hug their children, Evan and Justin Smith, as the service takes place.
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Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Plaza Towers Elementary School teacher Jennifer Doan is comforted by her fiance, Nyle Rogers, on May 26.
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President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – President Barack Obama is greeted as he tours the tornado-ravaged area near Moore, Oklahoma, on Sunday, May 26.
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Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers bow their heads in reverence on Saturday, May 25, in front of a memorial at the Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children died during the devastating tornado, in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday's tornado on May 25.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Mike Hitch prepares to pull a classic Corvette from under the debris of a home destroyed by Monday's tornado on May 25.
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Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Mike Hitch loads a salvaged Corvette pulled from the rubble onto a tow truck in Moore on May 25.
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Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend's tornado-damaged home on May 25 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Eunice Lassiter sits in the driveway of a friend's tornado-damaged home on May 25 in Moore.
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A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday's tornado in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A volunteer signs a cross on May 25 at a makeshift memorial outside of the destroyed Plaza Towers Elementary School where seven children were killed in Monday's tornado in Moore.
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Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers unload donated items for tornado victims at the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteer Brittany Pendergraft organizes donated tornado relief items inside the Yellow Rose Theater on May 25 in Moore.
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Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Eddie Jones of the Christian Life Center in Rolla, Missouri, cooks for residents and volunteers helping with tornado relief on May 25 in Moore.
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Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Carol Kawaykla holds a picture of her mother she found in the rubble of her tornado-devastated home in Moore, Oklahoma, on May 24.
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The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – The sun sets over debris from houses littering the ground in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23, three days after the town was damaged by a tornado.
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Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris is scattered across a driveway on May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts.
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Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as people search for items that can be saved from their devastated home on May 23.
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A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A devastated neighborhood is seen on May 23 in Moore.
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A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman searches for belongings at a home on May 22 in Moore.
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Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Michael Pritz swings a golf club while taking a break from helping his friend to salvage belongings on May 22.
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Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday's tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris litters what remains of a classroom at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22. Seven children died at the school in Monday's tornado.
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A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A makeshift shelter stands next to a home destroyed by the tornado on May 22.
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Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Casey Angle walks on the bunk bed she shared with her sister Sydney, who was among the students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary School during the tornado.
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Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tara McDonald shows some items salvaged from her home on May 22.
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A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A swing set sits warped at Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Plaza Towers Elementary School students Monica Boyd and Lavontey Rodriguez sit at the parking lot of their tornado devastated school.
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Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Travis French and his wife, Amy, of Capitol Hill Baptist Church hand out fresh fruit, water and hygiene packs to Thomas and Kelcy Trowbridge.
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Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor's home in south Oklahoma City on May 22, two days after an extremely powerful tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers from Fairview Elementary School help clean up former school counselor Kay Taylor's home in south Oklahoma City on May 22, two days after an extremely powerful tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma.
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Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor's home on May 22 in south Oklahoma City, just west of Moore. The storm was part of a tornado outbreak that began in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, May 19.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jake English, 12, cleans up retired school counselor Kay Taylor's home on May 22 in south Oklahoma City, just west of Moore. The storm was part of a tornado outbreak that began in the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, May 19.
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A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man talks on his cell phone in front of a destroyed house on May 22.
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A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man looks through a pile of clothing at a roadside relief camp on May 22 in Moore.
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Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Volunteers form a chain to retrieve clothing and other household items on May 22.
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Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother's destroyed home across the street from Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jon Booth moves a piece of debris from his mother's destroyed home across the street from Plaza Towers Elementary School on May 22.
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Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents' home on Tuesday, May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Matt Johnson salvages items from his grandparents' home on Tuesday, May 21.
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An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – An aerial view of the destruction on May 21.
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The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
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Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Two men fold an American flag found in the debris of a house on May 21 in Moore.
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A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A young girl stands among the rubble outside Briarwood Elementary School on May 21.
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A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A doll covered in dirt is among the rubble scattered throughout a neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Bonnie Lolofie, left, and Ashley Do carry belongings from their apartment, which has no power, on May 21.
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Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents salvage belongings from their demolished homes in Moore on May 21.
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Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Kelli Kannady weeps after finding a box of photographs of her late husband in the rubble near where her home once stood in Moore on May 21.
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Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Tufts of pink insulation hang from the rafters of a store in Moore on May 21 that was destroyed in the storm.
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Natalie Johnson searches through her mother's destroyed car outside Briarwood Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Natalie Johnson searches through her mother's destroyed car outside Briarwood Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
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Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Rescuers dig out a house in Moore on May 21.
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June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – June Simson embraces her cat Sammi after she found him standing among the rubble of her destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man stands on the roof of a destroyed home in Moore on May 21.
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A man helps move a resident's belongings from a destroyed home on May 21 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man helps move a resident's belongings from a destroyed home on May 21 in Moore.
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Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law's home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Air Force Airman First Class Justin Acord sifts through the rubble of his father-in-law's home in Moore on May 21.
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People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People recover belongings from the rubble of a home in Moore.
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People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People sort through a leveled home in Moore on May 21.
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Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Debris lies among headstones in the Moore Cemetery on May 21.
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Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Workers clean up the Warren movie theater in Moore on May 21.
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Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett surveys damage in Moore on May 21.
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Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Piles of debris lie around the north side of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore on May 21.
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As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – As dawn breaks, storm clouds roll in over a devastated neighborhood in Moore on May 21.
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Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Members of the Oklahoma National Guard look for survivors in rubble in Moore on May 21.
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A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A National Guardsman assists in the search for victims on May 21.
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A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A rescue worker leads a horse from the wreckage of a day care center and barns on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
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Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Men tie an American flag on debris in a neighborhood off Telephone Road in Moore on May 20.
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Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Children wait for their parents to arrive at Briarwood Elementary School in south Oklahoma City on May 20.
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Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20.
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Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/oklahoma-tornado-school-photo/index.html?hpt=hp_c2" target="_blank">Read more about the photo.</a>
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Teachers lead children away from Briarwood Elementary School on May 20. Read more about the photo.
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A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A fire official drives through the rubble of Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee's dog, Rippy, on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Abby Madi, left, and Peterson Zatterlee comfort Zatterlee's dog, Rippy, on Monday, May 20, in Moore.
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A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is treated for her injuries on May 20 at a triage area set up for the wounded.
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Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Two girls stand in rubble in Moore.
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Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Rescue workers help free one of more than a dozen people who were trapped at a medical center in Moore on May 20.
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Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Oklahoma City firefighters check on Gene Tripp on May 20 as he sits in his rocking chair where his home once stood.
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A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A nurse helps an older man who suffered a head injury on May 20 in Moore.
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Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Cars marked with an orange X, meaning they have been checked for occupants, are piled up in front of the entrance to the damaged Moore Medical Center on May 20.
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Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah's teacher. <a href="http://outfront.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/21/neighbors-comfort-boy-in-tornado-aftermath/">See an interview with the pair.</a><strong> </strong>
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Jim Routon hugs his neighbor, 7-year-old Hezekiah, after the tornado strikes on May 20. An earlier version of this caption incorrectly stated that Routon was Hezekiah's teacher. See an interview with the pair.
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People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – People look through the wreckage of their neighborhood after a tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20.
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Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Dana Ulepich searches inside a room left standing at the back of her destroyed house in Moore on May 20.
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Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Residents look through the debris in Moore on May 20.
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A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man looks through the remains of a home after the massive tornado struck Moore on May 20.
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A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is transported on a stretcher after she was rescued from the damaged medical center in Moore on May 20.
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A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman walks through debris in Moore on May 20.
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A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A man is taken away from the IMAX Theater in Moore that was used as a triage center on May 20.
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A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A girl wraps herself in a blanket near the Moore Hospital on May 20.
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A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A nurse walks by the destruction at a Moore hospital on May 20.
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Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Destroyed cars scatter the landscape in Moore, Oklahoma, where hundreds of homes and buildings were put to ruin on May 20.
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A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman with an arm injury is helped on May 20 in Moore.
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Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Extensive damage from the tornado destroyed cars and demolished structures in Moore on May 20.
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Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Onlookers stop to view a portion of the destruction left behind on May 20 in Moore.
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Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Overturned cars are among the rubble from the tornado that hit Moore on May 20.
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A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A woman is comforted after the May 20 tornado in Moore.
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A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A shredded tree stands amid debris in the aftermath of the storm in Moore on May 20.
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A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A shopping center parking lot is covered with debris and damaged cars on May 20.
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Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
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Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – Law enforcement officers block a roadway in Moore where there was extensive damage from the tornado.
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A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit <a href="http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/impact.your.world/">CNN.com/impact</a> for ways to help the victims.
Photos: Photos: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma
Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area – A massive tornado approaches Moore on May 20. The storm first touched down to the west of the city near Newcastle, Oklahoma. Visit CNN.com/impact for ways to help the victims.
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An aerial view of the destruction caused by the massive tornado that struck areas south of Oklahoma City on Monday, May 20, shows the magnitude of damage left in its path. The storm's winds topped 200 mph as it <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/severe-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t2">carved a 17-mile path of destruction</a> through Oklahoma City suburbs. On Tuesday, May 21, CNN sent photographer David McNeese to capture the story from above:
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
An aerial view of the destruction caused by the massive tornado that struck areas south of Oklahoma City on Monday, May 20, shows the magnitude of damage left in its path. The storm's winds topped 200 mph as it <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/severe-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t2">carved a 17-mile path of destruction</a> through Oklahoma City suburbs. On Tuesday, May 21, CNN sent photographer David McNeese to capture the story from above:
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – An aerial view of the destruction caused by the massive tornado that struck areas south of Oklahoma City on Monday, May 20, shows the magnitude of damage left in its path. The storm's winds topped 200 mph as it carved a 17-mile path of destruction through Oklahoma City suburbs. On Tuesday, May 21, CNN sent photographer David McNeese to capture the story from above:
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The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – The storm, which touched down near Newcastle, Oklahoma, spanned 1.3 miles. Some areas along the path were completely flattened.
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Officials from the National Weather Service gave the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20 a preliminary EF5 rating -- the highest score on the scale that measures tornado intensities.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Officials from the National Weather Service gave the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20 a preliminary EF5 rating -- the highest score on the scale that measures tornado intensities.
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The tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, hitting the town of Moore the hardest. It packed winds that topped 200 mph.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – The tornado tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, hitting the town of Moore the hardest. It packed winds that topped 200 mph.
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A search-and-rescue effort to find survivors shifted Tuesday to one of recovery, officials said.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – A search-and-rescue effort to find survivors shifted Tuesday to one of recovery, officials said.
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The devastation in Moore was so complete that the mayor said city officials were racing to print new street signs to help guide rescuers and residents through a suddenly twisted and unfamiliar landscape.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – The devastation in Moore was so complete that the mayor said city officials were racing to print new street signs to help guide rescuers and residents through a suddenly twisted and unfamiliar landscape.
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A group of homes was reduced to rubble.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – A group of homes was reduced to rubble.
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Debris from homes and structures was strewn for miles around.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Debris from homes and structures was strewn for miles around.
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In some areas, the homes of an entire street were destroyed.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – In some areas, the homes of an entire street were destroyed.
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Rescuers and first responders immediately began searching through the rubble of structures on May 20.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Rescuers and first responders immediately began searching through the rubble of structures on May 20.
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Large trees were uprooted and flattened.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Large trees were uprooted and flattened.
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Given its breadth and power, the tornado ranks among some of the strongest storms ever to strike the United States, CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Given its breadth and power, the tornado ranks among some of the strongest storms ever to strike the United States, CNN senior meteorologist Dave Hennen said.
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Homes in some areas were relatively undamaged while others very nearby were destroyed.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Homes in some areas were relatively undamaged while others very nearby were destroyed.
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Police, firefighters, volunteers and nearly 180 National Guard troops joined forces Tuesday in searching the rubble and securing areas hit by the storm.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – Police, firefighters, volunteers and nearly 180 National Guard troops joined forces Tuesday in searching the rubble and securing areas hit by the storm.
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In 1999 and then again in 2003, Moore took direct hits from tornadoes that took eerily similar paths to 2013's twister. The 1999 storm packed the strongest wind speeds in history, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – In 1999 and then again in 2003, Moore took direct hits from tornadoes that took eerily similar paths to 2013's twister. The 1999 storm packed the strongest wind speeds in history, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb said.
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A section of a bridge outside of Oklahoma City was blown off its foundation.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – A section of a bridge outside of Oklahoma City was blown off its foundation.
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The path of the tornado is clearly visible with dirt and debris painting a wide path across the Oklahoma landscape.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – The path of the tornado is clearly visible with dirt and debris painting a wide path across the Oklahoma landscape.
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The scene -- block after block of flattened homes and businesses, the gutted remains of a hospital and hits on two elementary schools -- left even seasoned veterans of Oklahoma's infamous tornadoes reeling.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – The scene -- block after block of flattened homes and businesses, the gutted remains of a hospital and hits on two elementary schools -- left even seasoned veterans of Oklahoma's infamous tornadoes reeling.
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View more galleries: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/moore-oklahoma-tornado/index.html">Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/gallery/1999-oklahoma-tornado/index.html">The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999</a>.
Photos: Photos: Destruction from above
The path of destruction from above – View more galleries: Deadly tornado hits Oklahoma City area and The devastating Oklahoma tornado of 1999.
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Tearful reunions at elementary school
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Police and emergency officials had yet to arrive, but Hellstern said teachers were carrying and escorting children out of the debris that once was their school. The teachers themselves were injured, Hellstern said. One had an ankle injury. Many were bloodied.
With rafters and torn brick walls as his backdrop, Steve Cobb, a brown-haired man in a T-shirt and shorts, clutches a blond girl -- one of his daughters -- in brightly colored New Balance sneakers. She peers over his shoulder as he carries her away from the school.
Inside a tornado-ravaged school
Following him is his wife, LaDonna Cobb, blood over her left eyebrow and smeared down her face and neck, onto the frills of her V-neck collar.
She appears to have a black eye, and she's holding the hand of a crying, barefoot girl with a large heart on her blue T-shirt.
"We're lucky to be alive, and our hearts go out to those who weren't as fortunate," LaDonna Cobb told CNN's Piers Morgan.
"We'll heal. We're here. That's what's most important."
A teacher at Brairwood, she had the day of the tornado off. She and her husband were going to close on a house but they went to the school to check on their three children as the storm approached.
"Him, and I and the teacher just jumped on top of the kids and rode it out there," she said.
Steve Cobb told Morgan that he had doubts.
"I was truly fearful. I didn't think we were going to live. I thought it was just going to flatten everything out and we would probably die. But somehow or another everyone survived.
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Mapping the twister's 40-mile path of devastation
Hellstern said he was amazed by the adults' response, especially those who gathered their composure to bring children out of the school, then returned to the rubble to search for more.
Police and emergency officials soon joined them in the search. Hellstern said he was moved to see distraught children and parents reunite at the school of about 700 students, located in the Oklahoma capital.
"The emotion of seeing parents come together with their children for that first moment, finding them alive and still well, was exciting," he said.
How to help
Another of Hellstern's photographs captured a child leaping into a man's arms. The man cradles the child's head with one hand and hugs his waist with the other, his face flush with emotion.
The man is Jim Routon, the child a 7-year-old boy named Hezekiah. They are just neighbors, but the love and relief in the photo bespeaks the bond of blood relatives.
Hours after the shutter snapped and media around the world published Hellstern's photograph, details of their story came into focus.
Hezekiah, a first-grader, described the picture to Routon: "I knew that you were going to pick me up, so I just jumped. And I just started hugging you really hard. I was crying a little bit, and I was happy that I survived."
Routon said he needed the hug as much as Hezekiah did.
"It was so chaotic. We just weren't sure. The school was pretty much devastated and mostly destroyed. We weren't sure if anyone was going to come out alive," he told CNN's Erin Burnett. "To go over and see one of my favorite neighbor's child emerge, it was awesome. It was just an amazing feeling."
Routon said it's hard to believe a photograph of him and his neighbor is among the dramatic images of the storm transmitted far beyond his state's borders. But the stories of recovery that the photos tell are inspiring to many Oklahomans, too, he said.
"It actually helps us, you know, in the healing process," Routon said, "and helps us to learn and see that ... we have to depend on one another to get through these types of things."