Karen Marinelli is a first-grade teacher at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma. On the fateful afternoon of May 20, 2013, Karen was teaching her class when tornado sirens started to squeal. A devastating twister swept through the town and was headed straight toward Karen’s school.
Twenty-five people lost their lives that day. Meanwhile, when the tornado hit the school, it ripped through the school apart. Karen refused to leave her students and selflessly remained in the hallway huddled over 6-year-old students Liam, Damian, and Dacari. Soon, the unthinkable happened and a 2,000-pound car slammed into the brick wall right next to Karen. The wall came crumbling down and both it and the car landed on top of Karen and the three kids.
Miraculously, the children were unharmed. And while Karen also survived, she broke her back, suffered multiple fractures, sprained her foot, pulled ligaments and got a lot of scrapes and scratches. She spent the next three months in a wheelchair.
The families of Liam, Damian, and Dacari were so grateful to Karen for her courageous effort that they started a tornado relief fund for her. The entire city of Moore contributed, and gifts soon poured in from across the country.
inside one of the boxes were diapers and clothes for a baby girl. Karen thought it was odd, because she hadn’t thought of having a fifth child. After all, she already had four wonderful boys.
But shortly after Karen opened the mysterious box, something happened that stunned the whole family.
Karen Marinelli is a first-grade teacher at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma.
On May 20, 2013, the city of Moore was devastated by a monster tornado.
Twenty-five people were killed, including seven students at Karen’s school.
The death toll probably would’ve been even higher had it not been for Karen. She saved three 6-year-old students when she sheilded them from falling rubble.
Despite being hit by both a car and a brick wall, Karen was able to shield the three young students.
Thanks to Karen, the children were unharmed.
Karen herself suffered multiple fractures, a broken back, and torn ligaments. She spent the following three months in a wheelchair.
Here’s Karen with the three students she saved from the tornado.
The grateful families of Liam, Damian, and Dacari led the whole community in paying tribute to the selfless teacher.
Soon, Karen was bombarded with gifts of all kinds. They included boxes sent from strangers across the country. And in one box, Karen found both diapers and baby girls’ clothing. Karen had no plans to raise another child, and she had given up her dream of having a girl.
But it seemed as if the box was a sign from above…
Watch the video below to find out why:
How wonderful for the whole family that Karen had a little girl! Share if you want to pay tribute to Karen for her courageous effort and if you also want to wish her family good luck in the future!
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