that does it for this edition of "360," "early start" begins now. lives lost. bodies hurt, but oklahomans vowed to survive. >> it's painful, basically, just the sound you're hearing, it's pain. you think what if that was my family member. what if that was me? >> we now know that the tornado ripped through moore, oklahoma, ranked as the most powerful on the scale. we're talking about 200-mile-an-hour winds. but no storm could keep heroes from crawling out of the woodwork. teachers saving children, neighbors saving neighbors.

first responders risking their own lives to save their fellow man. >> i told them to sing as loud as they could. if they got scared, they could scream, but sing as loud as they could. >> and safe rooms. how a small, but mighty box saved the lives of so many. good morning to you, and welcome to this special edition of "early start." we have lots of news to tell you about this morning, john. >> and i'm john berman live from moore, oklahoma. it is wednesday, may 22nd, 5:00 a.m. in the east. and we're going to begin here. here in moore, there are so many stories of survival, hope, but also stories of tragedy. as we transition now from the search and rescue to the recovery operation here in this ravage landscape. this right now is the latest. the national weather service now confirms that the twister that tore apart this town on monday, it was an ef-5 with winds peaking at 210 miles an hour. it really doesn't get more ferocious than that.

24 people now confirmed dead, nine of them children. and according to state insurance officials damage claims are likely to top $1 billion. it's easy to see how that could happen with 21 homes damaged and destroyed and people directly impacted by this 1.3 mile wide monster. i'm standing in this neighborhood right now where you can see the scope of what happened here. the damage is really fairly wide throughout this part of the state. but in this one neighborhood you see very specific, sometimes very small reminders of what was lost. >> just one street, just one neighborhood. but countless reminders of the enormity of what happened here. the living room set with no living room. a minivan in a space that defies the laws of physics. a football on a lawn. who knows when anyone will next

be able to play again. >> let me give you a sense of the power of the storm. this is a guardrail. this heavy piece of twisted metal was part of the highway which is a few blocks that way. somehow this tornado moved this guardrail from the highway right to here. this shows you how powerful it is. but there is another sight i want to show you. and it's a simple, small image. it's this. it's a kids toy. it's a little car or truck here, it's part of someone's life. we haven't seen anyone at this house today. someone's life that will be changed forever. >> reporter: in yard after yard, giant wooden splinters, spears sticking out of the ground. >> and in the middle of all of this debris, in the middle of this muck, middle of all of these lives torn apart, now there's this rain falling down on all these people trying to piece their lives back together. >> reporter: the rain falling on

richard jones in his living room. >> so show me where you rode out the storm. >> right in here. we were in this bathtub here. the two youngest grand kids. we had a mattress over the top of us. >> how many of you were in here? >> four and a dog. >> what did it sound like while the tornado was blowing over? >> unreal. just like the whole house was ripping apart. i was just waiting to be sucked out at any moment. i knew the house was being destroyed. you could hear the grass breaking, shattering, it was unreal. very unreal. >> how long did it last? >> my daughter said 90 seconds. it felt like forever. >> and when you came out, what do you think about what you saw? >> i don't know how we lived. you can go outside and see the destruction. it's just unreal. very unreal. luckily we're all here and alive. >> also unreal, richard jones,

there are so many people i spoke to on this street had smile on their faces as they dug through their homes. the reason they all survived, their families are all okay and there's a sense of relief amongst all of them that they somehow managed to pull through this. they know the future will be tough but they'll get there eventually. as we've been saying, relief efforts in full force. and the city here is requesting financial donations from people who want to help this town rebuild. there have been requests for flashlights, batteries, even tetanus shots. pamela brown joins you right now. she's been covering this inside the muck and debris for the last two days. nice to see you, pamela. >> good to see you too, john. i've been talking to survivors like you have. it's amazing to see the resilience, the resolve. people have smile on their faces in the midst of all of this. and we talked to one woman who just had a newborn baby. can you imagine? and she lost her home. her home looks just about like

this but she also had that same resolve and she is coping and one of so many here in moore, oklahoma, who is recovering. >> candace phillips cradles her six-day-old baby in her arms overcome we motion and gratitude for this moment. >> i was wondering if i was going to be able to, you know, see him grow up, you know if the tornado was going to turn and come for us next or if we were going to make it to the hospital at all. >> candace only had moments to grab her newborn baby boy and jump in her car when monday's mammoth tornado carved a path of destruction in moore, oklahoma. >> fight or flight instinct. you either stand there and stare at it in fear or get in the car and go. and that's what we did. we were literally throwing things in the truck and jumping in, which was not easy five days

after having a c-section. >> packed in the truck with her brother, mother, and little conner sleeping in her arms, all she could see out the back window was this image captured on her brother's cell phone. a monster twister headed right for them. >> this massive, dark gray just swirling tornado just barrelling down behind us. >> and looked at one point it was right on the path to you. >> yeah, it did. >> candy knight and her boyfriend say they missed the tornado by mere seconds and watched as a 7-eleven was leveled. >> if i would have been ten seconds slower, we would have been gone. i had my little 5-year-old between my legs on the floor. we just barely missed it. >> with so many left without homes, their resilience strengthened by their survival. >> i'm going to be okay. we're going to get back. that's what we're known for. we come back arms swinging. >> oklahoma's governor echoed that spirit with her own

resolve. >> we will rebuild. we have seen time and time again the strength of our people, the courage, the perseverance and we have come back much stronger after the tragedies we've been through. >> as for candace, her life uprooted. incredibly, though, she has no complaints. >> i'm thankful i'm here and there's like volunteers helping with everything. and that, you know, we have a place to go. >> and it's amazing, she said that little connor slept through the entire ordeal. and also mentioned this will be, of course, number one story in his baby book. >> i see him packed into the back of the car with everything else, all the belongings they could salvage, and you see her, she's lost so much, but in a way she's holding her baby, you could say she has everything. >> yep, that's right. >> what an amazing story.

pamela brown, really appreciate it. as we told you, the national weather service revised the strength of this storm. revised it up to an ef-5, that's extremely powerful winds topping 200 miles an hour. it really makes it one of the strongest storms ever to hit this country. i want to bring in the cnn weather center in atlanta. how do they determine the strength of a tornado like this? >> that's one of the biggest misconceptions out there. we have great video showing the time lapse. when we do see the tornado out there, a lot of people think, why don't they tell us it's going to be an ef-5 coming our way? well, we don't determine the strength of the tornado until the aftermath. we send a team of meteorologists out, survey the damage, they determine what kind of wind or how strong the wind would be to cause this type of damage and go backwards and say, okay, that was about a 200-mile-per-hour wind. that is a little bit of a misconception. i want to show you what all those conditions are. we keep talking about.

you've got the warm, moist air, dry air behind it, cold air, turning of the winds. all these elements when they come together, that's what produces the strong tornadoes, the more of them that come together, that's going to be the highest strength you see up there. as far as the scale, now that we know there is ef-5 damage out there, that's the highest level of damage you can get, incredible devastation, what we've been seeing. in fact, we actually have on google here showing you the path. we talked about how it was unpopulated. we were seeing more of the lower strength tornadoes. unfortunately, we really saw this strengthen right as it went through the town of moore. as you really started to see these intensities right around briarwood elementary school is where we did find ef-5 damage. really unfortunate there. and once it started to clear, we started to see it diminish again. varying from ef-0 up to ef-5. keep in mind, we still have the

severe weather threat today pushing into the ohio valley. still another day to keep aware of your surroundings, john. >> keep aware of what's going on, watch those forecasts. every single minute can help save lives. thanks so much for that. appreciate it. for country superstar toby keith, the disaster here is personal. he went to grade school near the plaza towers elementary school. and he used to bike through the neighborhoods that are simply gone. last night, keith made an appeal for help on "piers morgan live." >> these people are resilient, helping each other out, they're as prepared as anybody, they'll rebound. but right now the first thing to do is probably call red cross, salvation army, support that and they'll get a laundry list together and we can help get it started. >> keith says he's in the beginning stages now of planning a benefit he wants to raise money for people here. he says he's received hundreds of messages from fellow

entertainers who want to help out. so many people around the country want to help out. coming up, the governor here says that everyone in this town is accounted for, but this morning, some family members still in a desperate search for their loved ones. we're back after this break. [ female announcer ] love. it's the most powerful thing on the planet. love holds us in the beginning. comforts us as we grow old. love is the reason you care. for all the things in your life... that make life worth living. ♪ ♪ sweet love of mine vietnam in 1972. [ all ] fort benning, georgia in 1999. [ male announcer ] usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation.

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it was destruction on a colossal scale. and in a situation like this, any life lost is one too many, especially when you think about nine precious children who lost their lives at the elementary school. yesterday, one of those names became public. in an interview with our anderson cooper, the father of 9-year-old ornsbee. he described his daughter as a ball of love, a ball of energy, and really the rock and heart and soul of the family. he found out yesterday the very bad news that his daughter was among the dead. but so far, john, that's the only public name. that's the only name cnn has been able to independently confirm. john? >> there will be more names for sure and more mourning here in this town, nick. nick, in this neighborhood where i'm standing, i saw search teams come in twice with dogs climbing over the rubble here. they didn't find anything. the question, are there still

more people feared missing? >> well, it's an ominous sign for those who still believe their family members are missing. that search and rescue now a search and recovery. yesterday, i spent a lot of time on the phone with family members who believe their loved ones are missing. of course, you have to take into the equation that traditional lines of communication are down. cell phone towers are down, some people's cell phones may be at the bottom of that debris. but yesterday, i spoke to erica sandoval watching the storm unfold. she told me, john, she believes her sister was in the neighborhood. that moore, oklahoma, neighborhood that was completely leveled by the ef-5 tornado. take a listen to what she had to tell me. >> my mind is everywhere. my boss actually pulled up the site and she did that for me

because i can't think straight. and i'm kind of in a fog. i just -- i don't want to believe that. i don't. but it, you know, i can't reach her, i can't find her, i don't know where she is. and i don't know if she could get to me or get ahold of me or anything to let me know she's okay. >> for those like erica trying to make contact with their loved ones. there's a couple of websites that are up for people. social media has been very active, twitter, of course, played a huge role in trying to reconnect family members. two websites we should drive viewers to. moore tornado lost and found, also another website safe and well. where a lot of family members have been reconnecting with lost loved ones. john? >> nick, to be sure, we want to see more reunions, more reconnections, thank you so much for that report. our hearts go out to those family members still missing their loved ones. if you want to help the victims

here in oklahoma by giving blood or money or any way you can, please visit our website, cnn.com/impact. we have all kinds of ways you can help out there. and i have one story here from yesterday. we were in a different location. and so many people here want to help, want to reach out and do what they can. there was this truck load of kids who pulled up to where we were and they asked us, do you know where we can go to help out? we've been to two places. they had so many volunteers already. no one will take our help. there are a ton of people on the ground doing everything they can. there's been an outpouring of support. >> did you say it was a bunch of kids? >> they were high school kids and they were going from place to place looking for somewhere to volunteer. >> i just love that. that is a great story. thank you for sharing that, john. we'll head back over there in a little bit. but coming up, some other big news we're following for you this morning, a jailhouse interview from jodi arias. how she says she'll make a

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on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today. try align. it's the number one ge recommended probiotic c" that helps maintain digestive balance. ♪ stay in the groove with align. ♪ need help keeping your digestive balance in sync? try align. it's a probiotic that fortifies your digestive system with healthy bacteria 24/7. because your insides set the tone. stay in the groove with align. 22 minutes past the hour. welcome back to "early start." she will plead the fifth, that's the word from the irs official in the center of the investigation to the targeting of conservative groups for audits. she may not say anything at today's congressional hearing, but she's already spoken about the matter. we get more from cnn's dan

lothian. >> reporter: she's at the center of the storm, the head of the unit accused of targeting conservative groups seeking tax exempt status, and the first to admit publicly it was done. >> they used names like tea party or patriots and they selected cases simply because the application had those names in the title. that was wrong, that was absolutely incorrect, it was insensitive, and inappropriate. >> but her lawyers informed congress in spite a subpoena to testify, she will invoke her fifth amendment right and refuse to answer questions. her bosses were in the cross-fire yesterday. the active commissioner telling senators he did not hold back information from congress. >> i did not lie, sir. >> you lied by omission. you knew what was going on and you knew we asked, you should have told us. >> i answered the questions, i answered them truthfully. >> douglas schulman's answers didn't seem to settle senators'

concerns. >> senator -- >> it's easy, i was responsible -- >> i understand the words. what i'm telling you is this happened on my watch and i accept that. >> but you're not personally responsible? >> i'm deeply regretful this happened. >> let's move on. >> the controversies forcing the white house to play defense. >> i'm trying to figure out how people in this building knew what they knew when they knew it. >> let's step back. >> here's what they knew. >> you're acting like i'm petulant. >> admitting the white house was not told about the irs in april, but discussions about how to roll out the revelations. >> there was discussions about the findings of the report. >> facing one tough question after another, carney continued to push back. >> we could go down the list of questions. we could say what about the president's birth certificate? was that legitimate? >> dan lothian, cnn, washington. >> our thanks to dan.

24 minutes past the hour. jurors will be back in court today deliberating whether jodi arias should get the death penalty. this as we're seeing a new jailhouse interview with arias. on tuesday, arias asked the jury to spare her life. she says she could make a difference in person teaching fellow inmates how to read, helping victims of domestic violence and donating her hair to locks of love. she spoke from jail last night. >> what do you think the jury is going to decide for you? >> i don't know. i can't predict it. >> no idea. >> are you trying to use the media for something? why are you talking to us? >> why are you talking to me? >> we're interested in what you have to say. the bigger question is why you have an interest in talking to us. >> what i've decided to do at this point is utilize the mouthpiece i have, so to speak, to bring awareness to domestic violence.

>> on the day she was convicted, arias said she wanted the death penalty, but she says she has changed her mind after speaking with her family. and developing this morning in the investigation into the deadly attack on u.s. diplomats in benghazi, libya, a senior republican lawmaker tells cnn that investigators now have names to go along with the photos of people who may have been involved in that attack. the lawmaker could not say how many people had been identified. at a congressional hearing last week, attorney general eric holder hinted there were new definitive and concrete developments there. >> and a giant step forward, the senate judiciary committee voting to approve the landmark legislation yesterday. it would carve out a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, invest billions of dollars in new border security and raise the number of visas for high-tech workers. after five days of sometimes really intense debate, three

republicans join ten democrats in passing that measure that bill moves to the full senate. debate begins there next month. and coming up, we'll go back live to moore, oklahoma, and look into whether a storm shelter could have been the difference between life or death as a tornado tore through that town. ♪ [ slap! ] [ slap! slap! slap! slap! ] ow! ow! [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium-rich tums starts working so fast you'll forget you had heartburn. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums you'll forget you had heartburn. i don'without goingcisions to angie's list first. you'll find reviews on home repair to healthcare written by people just like you. with angie's list, i know who to call, and i know the results will be fantastic. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. just like a tablet. so easy to use, it won a best of ces award from cnet. and it comes inside this beautifully crafted

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the painful transition from search and rescue as we learn the tornado that leveled moore, oklahoma, was even stronger than first thought.

>> lending a helping hand, oklahoma asking for the country's help to recover from this massive devastation. >> and a little girl gone. a family struggling to put back the pieces after losing their 9-year-old daughter. welcome back to "early start," i'm zoraida sambolin in new york. >> this town of 56,000 people really picking up the pieces this morning after one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the nation. you can see what it did to this neighborhood all around me. the national weather service confirmed this 1.3-mile-wide monster that roared through here killing 24 people, it was an ef-5 tornado. ef-5. the scale does not go any higher than that. the twister packed 210-mile-an-hour winds at its peak, left 2,400 homes damaged, 10,000 people directly impacted, and damage that is expected to

top $1 billion. it will be expensive to recover, it will be hard. we've also learned the schools here, they will be closed for the rest of the school year. as we said, recovery here will not be easy. and right now, the entire country seems willing to lend a hand. everyone looking for ways to help oklahoma through this terrible tragedy. joined again by pamela brown by that part of the story. what's the greatest need would you say? >> well, the need is great overall here, john. a lot of people are waking up today without a loved one, without a home, right behind us here. right now, officials of this community are looking for basics for people, like batteries, flashlights, tetanus shots for people who might have stepped on a nail. oklahoma's governor talked about the need for counseling, support, for the people waking up today with nothing but perhaps loved ones they're surf rouned by. >> from the outside, how are people from the outside trying to help people here? >> well, there's actually an

incredible outpouring of support from the outside. we were just at the university of oklahoma yesterday where they're providing housing and they were inundated with donations. diapers, children's clothing, anything you could possibly imagine. and also, a lot of celebrities are stepping up to the plate here. toby keith who is actually from this area talked about the fact he's holding a benefit concert. let's take a listen to what he had to say. >> well, always when these things happen, music people get together. and i've had 500 text messages from people all over the music world saying, what are we doing? we want to help. and that's everybody's way. >> and, go ahead. >> i said i saw the stacks of diapers and supplies. it's remarkable how much aid is pouring in. >> kevin durant, of course, the basketball star of the oklahoma city thunder, he's stepping up

and donating $1 million to the red cross through his foundation. also, baseball player matt kempf says he's going to donate $1,000 for a home run. and also, just everyday people donating to the red cross, the salvation army, and there's also an oklahoma city tornado relief fund, as well. there are many ways that people can help out. >> of course, there's also cnn.com/impact. if you want to find out how you can help, please come to our website, cnn.com/impact. we have all sorts of information for people there. money in so many ways is the greatest need. that may be the easiest way to help out. immediately after monday's disaster, an oklahoma storm shelter, the storm shelters were filled, business reported about a tenfold increase in phone calls about having a safe room or an underground bunker. people understandably wanting

that extra bit of security. and as gary tuchman explains, some people here believe that having one may have been the difference between life and death. >> the people who lived in this house that destroyed survived. they survived because they left well in advance. but if they did not, they would have survived also because they had this heavy metal storm shelter. i want to show you how it works. you open the door and take a look inside. and you see, it's very cramped inside. there's not much room, but plenty of room to survive. walk down the steps with your family, you could probably fit seven or eight people and fit important things in here, clothing, pictures, valuables, you come in and then you shut the door, and you are safe and sound as a tornado goes above you. there's no doubt the people would've survived if they went inside this shelter. when the storm's over, you open it up and all come out. you may say, wow, if the rubble falls on this, how do you get

up? well, you slide it and slide it under here. if the rubble falls on top of here, you may not be able to slide it, but then you're alive and presumably you've told your relatives you're in there and they told rescuers and they come and rescue you. one thing you might wonder, why don't schools in the tornado belt in oklahoma and texas and kansas all have storm shelters all have basements? well, you should point out, it's not a law. and the fact is, many school districts say it's not economically feasible to have these. they cost several thousand dollars, these personal shelters. >> it's interesting, one of these on this block where i'm standing. we saw people bringing supplies out of their storm shelters. things they have kept underground there. so much of this neighborhood is water logged. the rain was pouring down here. but the stuff in that storm shelter was dry and usable. another argument for getting one of these things. and a storm shelter salesman says that most of the interest over the past couple of days has actually come from areas that just missed a direct hit.

something to think about. coming up, a grieving family speaks out. we will hear from the family of 9-year-old jenae hornsby. [ female announcer ] now you can apply sunblock to your kids' wet skin. neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®.

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to help fill all the open technology jobs. to help meet that need, here at devry university, we're offering $4 million dollars in tech scholarships for qualified new students. learn more at devry.edu. welcome back, everyone, to the special edition of "early start," live here in moore, oklahoma. the slow, painful process of recovering now begins for people who really have lost so much. and for families like the hornsbys, it is an especially painful time. 9-year-old jenae did not survive when the tornado hit. cnn spoke with her father, an iraq war vet and also her aunt. >> when you first saw it, what did you think? >> my heart just sank. and i started worrying and panicking. i just needed to find my baby. i just kept waiting and hoping that i'd find her.

i was looking through the other kids that were already gotten out. and just waiting. >> when did you get word about her? >> this morning. >> where were you? what happened? >> i was at first baptist church. they had opened a shelter for parents that hadn't found their kids. >> what do you want people to know about your daughter? >> just she was the best kid anybody could have. she was -- she was jenae. she was a ball of energy, a ball of love. >> your face lights up when you say her name. >> yeah, that's my baby. >> you're nodding your head. >> because, i mean, there is no other kid like her. we're a unique bunch and she is all of our uniqueness balled up into one. and she's the sweetest thing, the bossiest thing, the most fun. always trying to make us laugh.

she's just a sweet baby. sweet baby. >> does it seem real yet? >> no, it still ain't sunk in. i'm still hoping, you know, for that call say we made a mistake, you know. i just pray that's what it is, you know. that's all i can hope for. just got to take it as it is. >> how do you face something like this? >> just got to face it minute by minute, day by day, there's no way to face it. just got to be strong and carry on. >> does it seem real to you? >> at moments. you know. when it hurts, it feels real. but then when i can laugh and talk, it's not really more than something will happen, it hurts and the pain is real. the pain is real, and i have a daughter who is 14. >> how did you tell your daughter?

>> i broke down and she was nearby. and i don't think she knew was it a relief sob or a pained sob. and then she asked me is she okay. and i just told her she didn't make it. >> life, it's not fair, you've got to take what life gives you. you know, i mean -- i can sit and dwell on it and, you know, let it ruin me or i can, you know, make my baby proud and keep pushing on like i know she would want me to do. >> it's hard to hear. and our hearts do go out to that family and all the families that lost loved ones here in moore, oklahoma. so where you take cover during a storm like this, it can make so much of a difference. up next, we'll hear from a family who is making news because of the way they survived

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welcome back, everyone. so when a twister packing 200-mile-an-hour winds comes roaring through your neighborhood, deciding where to take cover can make all the difference. two years ago, deadly tornadoes tore up the town of athens, alabama. 250 people died. but one family, one family made national news because of the way they survived. here's john zarrella. >> reporter: there wasn't much left. the harrisons, kevin and sarah beth navigated through the debris that was once their home. >> oh, it was her -- her bath stall that she use ed take a ba.

it's a little dirty now. >> the tornado had done what big tornadoes do, wrecking just about everything in its path as it careened through athens, alabama, two years ago. one of a series of storms that killed about 250 people. a memory here or there is all that kevin and sarah beth hope to find. >> found another family picture. this is this year's christmas picture, which was one of our ornaments. i found one. >> it only lasts about 30 seconds. i thought there was a hot chance, being read about in the papers. >> this is what kept the harrisons alive, a safe room. kevin and his dad built it inside the family's detached garage. after the storm, the garage was gone. all that stood was the homemade concrete and cinder block safe room. >> it was a humbling experience altogether. how little we are, you know, and how it can all change in a

second. >> this single image of the harrisons emerging alive with their children in their arms went viral. a survival story captured without a word needing to be spoken. the harrisons were later honored and rewarded at a federal alliance for safe homes gathering in orlando. >> the deluxe model triple dead bolts. >> a company that manufactures safe rooms donated one to the harrisons. so where to put it, kevin and sarah beth had just the spot. bolted to the garage floor of their new home in a new neighborhood. since the alabama tornadoes all weather safe rooms install an average of two a week. most in towns and communities impacted in the past. >> it's heart wrenching to go in and see the devastation and know that a lot of these people didn't have to die. they could have had a safe place to go. >> the harrisons know that what happened in their old neighborhood that april

afternoon will always be with them. the moments of fear, the numbness at the sight of all the destruction, smoke rising from piles of rubble and an orange sun setting over the one thing left standing, that handmade room that saved their lives. john zarrella, cnn, miami. >> they can make such a difference. safe rooms undoubtedly saved lives on monday. take a look at this map of moore. look at all these green dots you're going to see in the twister's path. every single one of them marks a safe room that was built with the help of fema. it can make all the difference, zoraida, it is certainly something to consider for families who live in storm zones like this one. >> yeah, the affordability of that is what i wonder about that. if everybody can have the money to build one of those. thank you for that, john, i had never seen one of those before. in just a few hours, an arizona jury resumes deliberations.

they must decide whether arias will face the death penalty now. on tuesday, arias asked them to spare her life. she says she could make a difference in prison teaching fellow inmates to read, helping victims of domestic violence and donating her hair to locks of love. last night she gave an interview from jail. casey wian has more. >> reporter: jodi arias began her plea for her life with an acknowledgment, the pain she caused the family of travis alexander, the former boyfriend she brutally murdered in 2008. >> nothing drove that point for me more than when i heard them speak last week. i never meant to cause them so much pain. to this day i can hardly believe i was capable of such violence, but i know that i was. and for that i'm going to be sorry for the rest of my life. >> the rest of arias' statement to the jury was in sharp contrast to the interview she gave to a local reporter minutes after her conviction, then she spoke of suicide and said she

would prefer the death penalty. >> if i'd got life instead of death, i could become employed, self-reliant. i didn't know if i got life, there were many things i could do to affect positive change and contribute in a meaningful way. in prison, there are programs i can start and people i can help. >> arias promised among other things to continue her practice of donating hair to cancer victims and to teach spanish, sign language and reading to other inmates. one surprise, she displayed the t-shirt she's been selling to raise money for domestic violence victims even though the jury rejected her claims that she killed alexander in self-defense. >> some people may not believe i am a survivor of domestic violence, they're entitled to their opinion. i'm supporting this cause because it's very important to me. >> as convicted killer jodi arias waits for a jury to decide if she will be executed or sentenced to life in prison, she's sat for a new round of

media interviews. >> you had ample opportunities to apologize to travis alexander's family. it doesn't seem like you did it today. why didn't you apologize to them? >> i did in my allocation. >> i never heard you say i'm sorry. >> i don't think i used those two words. but i feel i conveyed my remorse. and if i didn't adequately convey it, then i regret that. but -- >> you want to do it now? >> well, there's nothing i can do to take back what i did. i wish that i could. i really, really wish that i could. >> earlier tuesday, she began pleading for the jury to spare her life by acknowledging the pain she has caused the family of travis alexander, the former boyfriend she brutally murdered in 2008. without any mitigation witnesses testifying on her behalf, it was entirely left to arias to appeal for mercy by showing her artwork and family photos. >> every time i had the thought or desire to commit suicide, there's one element that is

always -- almost always caused me to waver, they're sitting right over there, they're my family. either way, i'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison, it'll eier be shortened or not. if it's shortened, the people who will hurt the most are my family. i'm asking you please, please don't do that to them. >> alexander's family watched in silence. their faces saying casey wian, phoenix. anthony weiner's political comeback has officially started. early this morning, the former new york congressman debuted his for new york city mayor on youtube. weiner resigned in disgrace after tweeting lewd photos of himself to women. you saw him strolling through the brooklyn neighborhood where he grew up. he acknowledges the troubles that shut down his rise to stardom. >> look, i made big mistakes and

let a lot of people down, but i've also learned tough lessons, i'm running for mayor because i've been fighting for the middle class and those trying to make it my entire life. >> at the end of the video, it features weiner sitting on a stoop with his wife who has stood by him. 54 minutes past the hour. coming up, we take you back to moore, oklahoma, for a story you don't want to miss. a teacher who turned into an incredible hero. how she saved her sixth graders as the tornado leveled their elementary school. [ jennifer garner ] why can't powerful sunscreen feel great on your skin? actually it can. neutrogena® ultra sheer. nothing out performs it. nothing feels cleaner. its helioplex formula provides unbeatable uva uvb protection to help prevent early skin aging and skin cancer. and while other sunscreens can leave a greasy layer neutrogena® ultra sheer feels clean and dry. you won't believe you're wearing such powerful sun protection. it's the best for your skin.

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welcome back, everyone. janice brim is a teacher by trade. with a class of sixth graders in the plaza towers elementary school. many of us think teachers are always heroes. but on monday, she became a lifesaver. on the advice of her husband who works construction, she took shelter in a closet with her students as the tornado simply leveled their school. that is exactly where her husband found her when he rushed to the school to help and he talked to anderson cooper about this experience. >> so you go in there, you see the hallway's destroyed. >> i'm going down the hallway. there's knee deep of stuff, all the roof, all the ceiling stuff, everything is down on the floors, plus shingles from the houses all around are down on the floor. and crawling through and i could see the printer closet and it was 3/4 of the way covered from stuff on the outside. and i'm banging on the door with a piece of metal yelling, yelling at her. and i could hear them in there. and pretty soon, a guy comes up

on top of the wall and says, hey, i can see them through the top, i'm going to try to lift them out. about this time, the teachers that were in the bathrooms, they come out and the kids are just screaming and crying, and the teachers, some of them were -- one of them was barefoot and the kids were trying to get out and still some electricity because i saw some lights and i said walk down the hall here, keep your hands on the wall, don't touch any wires and so they began to filter out one at a time. i said help the one in front of you. and they were crying so hard and the teachers were helping them out. about that time, some other men began to come from other areas, two or three in the hall. they started helping them out and more guys were showing up. to me, it was amazing to watch over the five-minute period i was there, the number of men and women coming from the neighborhoods that were destroyed to try to help pull out the kids. we worked our way back to the rescue areas, where the walls

were falling down. >> and you saw her again. >> when they brought her out of the room, we saw each other, i threw a jacket, she knew she needed to find some people, i went with some other guys to clear some other rooms. i was glad she was okay. >> it was the quick thinking of teachers like that in the immediately quick response of workers like that really helped save lives. such a wonderful thing to see here in this town of moore, oklahoma. a special edition of "early start" live from this city continues right now. we were in this bathtub here, had the two youngest grand kids. i laid over them. >> how many of you? >> four and the dog. >> more and more amazing stories of survival. people hunkered down. this teacher, this hero saving

the lives of the kids cramming them into a closet and a bathroom. >> before i shut the doors, i said i love you. >> reporter: after the storm, the only place left standing in the elementary school, the girls and boys bathrooms. 20 lives saved. 20 kids who got to go home to their families. many other families used these. storm shelters, metal and concrete boxes built in the ground to with stand the most powerful tornadoes. we get a tour this hour on cnn. just incredible stories. good morning. i'm zoraida sambolin in new york. >> i'm john berman alongside chris cuomo in moore, oklahoma. it is 6:00 a.m. we are making the difficult transition from

search recovery to rescue. city officials tell us the number is not expected to rise. the national weather service confirms the twister was an ef-5. it was the highest on the scale. it does not go higher than that. the winds topped 210 miles per hour. one of the most powerful storms ever to hit this country. >> one of the things people have to keep in mind, unlike hurricanes, here you have to survey the damage. it's how they make the determination. it made sense. it also made sense that the number of casualties and the lives lost were adjusted. the idea that names were repeated, multiple sources were counted by different parts of the government. let's be honest, the number counted down is welcome. one of the things we struggle

with on the ground is to get a sense of scope and scale. one home blown apart after another after another, it's difficult to capture this as it is. we go up in the helicopter. you get a sense, the intentionality, the randomness of who lived and who didn't. which houses survived. the path of the tornado. it's very clear from above. itis an important thing to see what went through here in moore, oklahoma. take a look. >> we are 2500 feet above the ground. scientists say debris from the tornado could hit ten times where we have now into the air. look at the trees, looks like someone pulled them up and laid them down like they were weeding their garden. the cars were tossed like dous.

you can tray with your finger the line where the tornado went. >> it's just as definite as that. itis as if someone took an eraser to a draw thag a kid made and decided to erase through it. >> the trees were huge. it was a row of trees down, one after another. >> old growth trees. you get the sense. you see what happened. the splinter effect of the tornado. where it struck and where it did not. then understanding, in 1999, 2003 and again now, almost the same bath it took through moore. >> 2,400 homes destroyed. some 10,000 people were impacted directly by the tornado that ripped through on monday. it's hard to comprehend what that means. i have been in this neighborhood now that we are standing in since yesterday and i had a chance to walk around here and talk to the people. what you really see is these

small examples that show you how big the impact was. let's look. just one street, just one neighborhood but countless reminders of the enormity of what happened here. a living room set with no living room. a minivan in the space that defies the laws of physics. we give you a sense of the power of the storm. this is a guardrail. this heavy, piece of twisted metal. somehow, this tornado moved this guardrail from the highway to here. this shows you how powerful it is. there's another site i want to show you to give you a sense of what this storm can do. a simple, small thing. it's a toy. a car or truck here. it's part of someone's life. we haven't seen anyone at this house today. someone's life that will be

changed forever. in yard after yard, giant wooden splinters, spheres in the ground. >> reporter: the live that is have been torn apart, now there's this rain falling down on people trying to piece their lives back together. the rain falling on richard jones. show me where you rode out the storm. >> right in here. in this bathtub here. the two youngest grand kids, i laid over them, my daughter over me. >> how many of you were in here? >> four. and a dog. >> what did it sound like? >> real loud like the whole house was being ripped apart. i knew the house was destroyed. you could hear the glass breaking, shattering. it was unreal, very unreal.

>> how long did it last? >> my daughter said 90 seconds. it felt like forever. >> when you came out, what did you see? >> i don't know how we lived. you can go outside and see the destruction. it's unreal. luckily, we are all here and alive. >> richard jones with his his entire family. we met another family here digging through the rubble. what surprised me was their spirits were high. they all talked about how lucky they were to have each other. >> how much do you think is cultural, it just happens here and how much is resolve? >> they have all been through it before. they have recovered before so they know they can do it. it may be one reason the spirit is so high. >> that is the key. that was a great piece.

one thing they are dealing with on the ground, you can rebuild homes and rebuild your life. it's impossible to replace loved ones, especially children. we know that nine kids were killed, seven at one school, plaza towers. a 9-year-old's family spoke with cnn. nick is now live from moore city hall with more on her story. nick? >> reporter: chris, in a situation like this, any life lost is one too many especially when you think of the nine precious children that perished. one family spoke to anderson cooper. >> my heart sank. i started worrying and panicking. i needed to find my baby. i kept waiting and hoping to find her. i was looking through the other

kids that had gotten out and waiting. >> there is no other kid like her. we are a unique bunch. she is all of our uniquens involved into one. she is the sweetest thing, the bossiest thing, the most fun. always trying to make us laugh. a sweet baby. sweet baby. >> the family said they were holding out hope. yesterday morning they received the news, chris, that no parent ever wants to receive. >> no question about that, nick. let me ask you something, now the unknown. people who might be missing, might not be missing, what is the latest on that? >> i spoke to a handful of people who say their family are still missing. itis not just people in oklahoma looking for loved ones, it's people across the united states. i spoke to a woman in tennessee

watching this all unfold. she has not been able to get in touch with her sister. >> my mind is everywhere. i was -- my boss actually pulled up the site. she did that for me because i can't think straight. i'm kind of in a fog. i don't want to believe that. i don't. but, you know, i can't reach her, i can't find her. i don't know where she is. i don't know if she could get to me or get a hold of me or anything to let me know she's okay. >> chris, for those like erica sandoval who are looking for loved ones, there are pages, social media pages helping reconnect family with loved ones. one is on facebook,

mooretornadolostandfound. and safe.org. we hope if erica gets in touch with her family. those whose families are missing, our hearts and prayers are with them this morning. >> thank you for that. >> it's not easy to get in touch with people. so many people lost their cars. you can't just get in your car and drive somewhere. as we told you, this was a powerful, powerful storm. the national weather service revised the strength of the storm. the winds topped 200 miles per hour making it one of the largest storms to hit the u.s., ever. tell us how they determine the strength of a tornado. >> absolutely. one of the biggest things i want to point out, people are talking the ef-5 damage. that doesn't mean every point was ef-5.

along the path of the tornado, you can have point that is are ef-0 and ef-1. there can be point that is are ef-5. people say why aren't you telling us this is an ef-5. we don't know yet. everything happened so fast. the explosive nature of the storms happens so fast, we have to survey the damage afterwards. we have a chart that tells us. we look at the damage and say that's probably 200-mile-an-hour wind that caused that damage. 200-mile-an-hour winds is when we get the ef-5 range. it's the highest. i want to show you on google, not everything was ef-5. we start with a lighter strength tornado and it builds up. toward briarwood elementary, it was ef-5.

the majority was not but there are points within it. that's where it causes confusion. we talk about the path that is important. looks like still the ma yorty of this is going to be strong winds and hail, not ruling out tornadoes, either. john and chris? >> be on the lookout. a large part of the country, heed those warnings. >> important point about the path of a tornado. she was showing how it went from a 0 to a five. at 16 minute window, how long people had to adjust, it's more come "meet the prespressed from. >> don't expect it to be weak. >> use caution. we keep talking ability how this place has seen tornadoes before, bad ones, 1999, 2003. how about one family who lived

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we are back in moore, oklahoma. one family, three terrifying tornadoes. the lamberts have a lot to be thankful for. the family has been in moore, oklahoma 21 years. they lived through the one may 3rd, 1999 and may 8. they are survived of what happened and counting their blessings everyone made it through. thank you very much. we have the family joining us. before we do anything, the young lady, her name, her middle name is may, yes? >> yes. >> because you want to remember what happened. you were in labor at the time? >> not me, my sister. >> what does that mean about how

important it is to not forget what happened here. >> you learn through tragedy, amazing neighbors and most amazing people. it's something that's just absolutely wonderful about the city is we always come together. >> what are you dealing with right now? what happened to the family monday? >> we were separated. >> trying to get together and find out where's everybody at. i was at work. had to get down here. she was at the house. from where i was at, it looked like it destroyed the entire area. >> anybody's homes? >> just debris. >> just damage? things you can work with and get through. how long did it take to know the family was okay, intact? >> two and a half hours after. >> not bad. i know a minute is too long. >> yeah. >> compared to what it could be and has been for so many. if you compare this one to what

you had to suffer through in 2003, 1999, what was the worst for your family? >> my kids. >> kids. >> may 3rd. >> what about them? >> now i'm a parent. i was at the school with my children when the tornado came through, so, just making sure that they were okay and the kids that are at the school were okay and the teachers did so great and kept them calm. it was a life saving -- >> there's something about when you worry about your kids, the vulnerability and how precious they are. you love your siblings and your inlaws, but you feel a protectiveness. >> you are the protector. you have no control over this and you just have to pray that everybody is okay and have that faith that everybody is okay. >> the mind set. one of the things people marvel

at. you won't get it because you are from here. when people come and visit, they say wow, they deal with so much in this community and they come back and they come back. what is it that makes it okay, no pun intended with the state abbreviation, yes, this may happen, but this is home. what does the mind say? >> it's just a community here. you take care of each other. it's the people here in moore, we get together and take care of each other. that's what make as town, not houses, not, you know, you miss the houses. it's the people in the community. >> do you think people who grow up in a situation where there is risk, where you know what it's like to have loss, there's better appreciation here? >> most definitely. most definitely. >> young lady, what do you tell your friends when you say my middle name is may? >> i usually say my mom almost

went into labor. even though -- >> it's okay. >> my mom survived through it. i wasn't born until june 23rd. >> how often have you heard this story growing up? >> a lot. >> does it come up when you do something good or when you are being a challenge? don't you forget that i was in labor. do you hear it that way? >> no. >> does it make you feel special to know who you are, that you made it through this before you were on your feet? >> yes. >> standing in the situation we are in now, it is unreal for people that this can happen. i know we see it. may is the month. every year things happen. each time it happens, it's am e amazing what is lost and what

isn't lost. the tornado is terrible. ef-5, comparing it to the others. when you think about who was lost here, do you feel that in some way we got lucky this time? >> we did. the number is at 24 right now. so much higher than we thought. i think the fact that we had some warning and that the prior tornadoes really helped because we knew we needed to take cover. we knew this is no joke. i think the prior two tornadoes helped those that have been through it know this is what we need to do. >> what are you hearing from friends about what they are going through this time, what they need? >> i have friend that is have lost family members. it's really hard and difficult for them, but they are so

appreciative of those who help them. they appreciate those who went in and got their mom. prayers. right now, that's what she needs. the strength. she knows she has the faith, just trying to find the strength. >> what is the first step, the second step, the third step of coming out of what your friend has to deal with? that kind of loss? >> basically one day, one prayer at a time. you know, that's the first step. there's no more i don't know, guessing, are you okay, where is he, where is she, you know. >> as hard as it is to know, at least you know. >> at least you know. that right there says a lot. that right there allows her to start her grieving. it's so much better to know than not. >> 1999, 2003, now this one,

does it raise any question in your mind, if you would want to live somewhere else? >> no. >> no. >> this is our town. this is our city. this is where we were raised. we are oklahomans through and through. they say we are morons. >> morons? you have to come up with a better name than that. it should be super moore. that's the first thing you said that makes no sense to me. >> that's what people say, she's from moore, she's a moron. >> they better say it with a smile on their face. >> they do. it's a good joke. >> i'm sorry for what happened with your friend. hopefully three is enough. >> please. >> especially for people of faith, three is a good number. it's a big number. hopefully it's enough this time. i wish the best for your

friends. the media is here to help. hopefully we can get the word out. >> people are asking for gift cards instead of supplies. they have so many supplies, it's hard to move. i have been telling my friends on facebook, gift cards, cash, anything they can physically give. but, i have several people, this is my old neighborhood, i knew a lot of these people. i know a lot of them, they lost everything but they have their families. so, that's all that -- >> how long does it take you now. what have you figured out? how long will it take to clean up? >> each time we were hit, it took about six months to get back to our house. usually six months to the year before the neighborhood gets -- >> the need doesn't stop. there's plenty of time to get involved. thank you all for being here. gift cards are great.

cnn.com/impact. you can go there and find ways to help families in need for east six months. thank you very much. god bless your families. back to you in new york. >> really great advice. 23 minutes past the hour. other stories developing this morning on the investigation of the deadly attacks in benghazi libya. a lawmaker tells cnn investigators have names to go with photographs of people who may have been involved in the attack. the lawmaker could not say how many people had been identified. jurors will be back in court deliberating whether jodi arias should get the death penalty. on tuesday, arias asked the jury to spare her life. she says she could make a difference in prison teaching fellow inmates how to read, helping victims of domestic violence and donating her hair to locks of love. she spoke to a reporter last

night. >> what do you think the jury is going to decide for you? >> i don't know. i can't predict it. >> one way or the other? >> i have no idea. >> are you trying to use the media for something? why are you talking to us? >> why are you talking to me? >> we are interested in what you have to say. the bigger question is why you want to talk to us. >> i have decided to utilize the mouthpiece i have, so to speak, to bring awareness to domestic violence. >> on the day she was convicted, arias said she wanted the death penalty. she changed her mind after speaking with her family. new this morning, anthony weiner is not letting a few lewd things keep him from seeking post. he placed the first ad for his mayoral campaign on youtube. you can see him strolling

through the brooklyn neighborhood where he grew up. he sort of acknowledges the troubles that struck down his right to stardom. >> look, i made big mistakes and i let a lot of people down but i learned tough lessons. i'm running for mayor to fight for the middle class struggling. >> at the end of the video, it features him sitting on a stoop of a house with his wife. when we come back, a story of survival. one woman's encounter with an ef-5 tornado and desperate search for her long time companion as well. you are watching early start. are you still sleeping?

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welcome back to "early start" everyone. i'm john berman here in moore, oklahoma. we are in the area that was flattened. this town is 56,000 strong. they are proud. they are working through this recovery this morning after one of the most powerful storms ever to hit this country. the national weather service confirming the 1.3 mile wide cloud was an ef-5. there's nothing higher on the scale. it packed 200-mile-an-hour winds at the peak. left 2400 homes damaged, 10,000

people directly impacted. insurance claims expected to top $1 billion. a lot of damage here. as much damage, so much loss. there are amazing stories of survival in oklahoma. we have seen heart breaking images. many want to know, what does it look like to be in the middle of it all as the tornado is going right over your head? we have stunning video to show you right now. oh my goodness. this cloud swirling above. you can hear it passing. you see the debris flying everywhere. what a vision. this was all shot by one guy who is with me right now, 19-year-old charles. he joins me this morning in moore, oklahoma. explain to me how you got these stunning pictures. >> the storm shelter was closed. i was safe. there was a perfect hole that i saw that i could fit my camera

through. the whole tornado passed through exactly where i could see. i was in complete, utter shock. i have never seen a tornado and the first one i see is an ef-4 or ef-5. >> you are in a storm shelter. did you feel safe the whole time? was it terrifying? >> it was absolutely terrifying, but i did feel safe. i could see the houses in front of me were still standing. i was more concerned about the neighborhood my mom was staying in. of course the school that was right across the street. that's where we headed after it ended. >> is your family okay? >> family and friends are okay, but friends have lost houses. >> as you are filming this as it happened, what was the most surprising thing? it seemed to last forever. >> yeah. this was a gruelling two

minutes, just dragging along, sweeping everything in its past. >> how many were in the storm shelter? >> about nine. >> what were you doing to keep calm? >> we weren't saying anything. a couple mutters here and there. there was a sense of safety in this community. >> you witnessed the storm from the inside. again, it ends, then what do you do? >> ran straight to the school to help out. >> you went to briarwood school? >> yeah. >> what was the scene when you arrived there? >> kids screaming everywhere. in one area, a bunch of people trapped. we were trying to lift rubble out of the way to get them out of there. as far as i heard, everyone was helped to safety. >> everyone was. that is one of the wonderful miracles of this. how are you and your friends coping with this? what is next for moore, oklahoma? >> help and pitch in wherever we

can and get this thing done. the town is demolished. stick together and rely on each other. >> don't you want to see another tornado from that view ever again? >> that's good enough. >> thank you so much for joining us. i appreciate it. >> thank you. immediately after monday's disaster, an oklahoma shelter business reported a ten-fold increase in phone calls about having a safe room for an underground bunker. everyone wants them now. gary spotted one among the ruins of a destroyed home. look at this. >> the people that lived in this house survived. they left well in advance. if they did not, they would have survi survived, also because they had this heavy, metal storm shelter. you open the door and take a look inside. you can see it's very cramped inside. plenty of room to survive.

walk down the steps with your family. you could probably fit seven or eight people, clothing, pictures, valuables. come in and shut the door. you are safe and sound as a tornado goes above you. there's no doubt they would have survived. when it's over, you open it and come out. one thing to keep in mind, wow, the rubble falls on it, how do you get it? >> it slides, not lift. you are alive and presumably you have told your relatives you are in here and they tell rescuers and they come and rescue you. why don't schools in the tornado belt in oklahoma, texas and kansas all have shelters and basements? >> it's not a law. many say it's not economically feasible to have these. they cost several thousand

dollars, these personal shelters. >> there's a storm shelter like this one on this tree here. yesterday, i saw people taking supplies out of the storm shelter that were dry and in perfect condition, which is important. so much on the street was ruined yesterday in the rain. >> a lot was lost. that's why we are holding this cat. we just found her here. we are on sixth street and telephone in moore. this little cat, she's a kitten with a pink collar with gray/blue spots. the lambert family is taking her to the shelter. see the kitty cat? >> she's shaking this morning. >> she's shaking. she's scared. she climbed out of the remains of one of the houses on sixth and telephone. we are going to get her to a shelter. fed her a pork chop. i don't know why we had one at this time, but she ate it. if this is your kitty cat or know whose it is, please, one more pet who can find their family. >> there are a lot of people

around this community, this neighborhood looking for pets like that adorable cat there. i know they will get a home. we want to go to stephanie elam. she has the story of a woman searching for her dog. >> reporter: it is the roughest thing to hear about, people being separated from their loved ones, john and chris. we hear so much about this. pets are like family. how awesome you found that kitty cat there. this one family came back to their home and lots of things were gone. they just got married in august. her wedding dress was long gone, but her clothes were there. they were looking for their dog, sugar. take a listen. >> heart breaking. just want to find her. she's our little baby. everything was gone.

she was in a crate. we searched at home depot, we went to the warning and shelters. no one had seen her. we have posted him on different facebook sites trying to just get it out there that, you know, she's missing. >> reporter: so hard to see the pain in her face as she was talking about her dog sugar. here is a picture i had her text to me. if you see the dog, help her get back to her family. they have been looking all over the place to find her. they want the same kind of reunion chris and john, you are able to help somebody else with with that cat. >> it would be greachlt thank you so much. that is an adorable dog as well. the devastation around here is massive. there's so many needs. those needs are growing. a lot of people here want to help. coming up, we will tell you all

the best ways to get the help to people that need it. stay with us.

now it's all about relief, recovery, people trying to get going again. that's the story of moore, oklahoma. city officials are recommending financial donations outside the immediate area who want to help. we keep telling you, cnn.com/impact to find a way to make a difference. >> there's requests for flashlights and batteries and tetanus shots with all the rusty nails and metal. pamela brown has been tracking the relief effort. tell us what people need. >> people need a lot, there's no doubt about it. we have been talking to survivors who don't have much more than the clothes they have on their back after the tornado. we talked to a woman yesterday. she's a new mother with a

six-day-old baby. she never expected to have this experience as a new mother. she cradles her 6-day-old baby in her arms overcome with gratitude for the moment. >> i was wondering if i was going to be able to see him grow up, if the tornado was going to turn and come for us next or going to make it to the hospital at all. >> reporter: she only had moment toss grab her newborn baby boy and jump in the car when the tornado carved a path of destruction in moore, oklahoma. >> fight or flight instinct. you stand there and stare in fear or get in the car and go. that's what we did. we were literally throwing things in the truck and jumping in. was not easy five days after having a c-section.

>> reporter: packed in the truck, all she could see out the back window was this image captured on her brother's cell phone, a monster twister headed toward them. >> this massive, dark, gray, just swirling tornado just barrelling down behind us. >> it looked like it was right on the path? >> yeah, it did. >> reporter: they missed the tornado by mere seconds and watched as a 7-eleven was leveled. >> if i was ten seconds slower, we would have been gone. i had my 5-year-old between my legs on the floor. we barely missed it. >> reporter: with so many left without homes, their resilience strengthened by survival. >> we are going to get back. that's what we are known for. we come back, arms swinging. >> reporter: oklahoma's governor echoes that with her own

resolve. >> we will rebuild. we have seen time and time again, the courage, the perseverance. we have come back stronger after the tragedy we have been through. >> reporter: as far dan dis, her life uprooted. she'll stay at temporary housing at the university of oklahoma. incredibly, she has no complaints. >> i'm thankful i'm here and volunteers are helping with everything. and that, you know, we have a place to go. >> amazingly, she said connor slept through the entire ordeal. you can imagine how difficult it must be raising a newborn baby without a home. >> it's really hard. she's lost so much. she has everything still and was holding it in her arms. >> also, i want to touch on the relief efforts. we were there at the university yesterday. it was amazing to see how they

were inundated with donations. also, you are seeing so many step up and donate. kevin durant, the star basketball player from the oklahoma city thunder donated $1 million to the red cross. baseball player matt kemp -- >> l.a. dodgers. >> chris? >> very well known. >> yes. he tweeted i'm giving $1,000 for tonight's home run and every home run until the all-star break for the victims in my hometown. toby keith will have a benefit concert. >> they need them all here in moore. >> for a long time to come. just not now, for months to come. we are going to speak to a man who called moore his hometown for a long, long time. congressman tom cole. he grew up here. he is now taking action to help his friends who are also his constituents. i think farmers care more about the land

than probably anyone else. we've had this farm for 30 years. we raise black and red angus cattle. we also produce natural gas. that's how we make our living and that's how we can pass the land and water back to future generations. people should make up their own mind what's best for them. all i can say is it has worked well for us. when ouwe got a subaru.s born, it's where she said her first word. (little girl) no! saw her first day of school. (little girl) bye bye! made a best friend forever. the back seat of my subaru is where she grew up. what? (announcer) designed for your most precious cargo. (girl) what? (announcer) the all-new subaru forester. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru.

welcome back to moore, oklahoma. officials here assessing the damage in the wake of monday's deadly tornado and what it will cost to make this town whole once again. i'm joined by oklahoma congressman, tom cole. he not only grew up in moore, these people here now his constituents. thank you for being with us. you have lived through a lot of tornadoes since you have lived here, 50 years. what's it like to see your hometown in rubble? >> it's devastating.

each house represents a life, a family that's been uprooted. having lost children or lost loved ones. itis always extraordinarily difficult. what's amazing is the resilience and toughness. people, you know, they grieve and they worry. at the end of the day, they get up and put their lives together again. >> we are standing in this driveway with a house that crumbled around us. these are lives that have been displaced. they have to rebuild. what's your experience been here in moore, oklahoma, 1999, that devastating tornado? how does that compare? >> this one is worse, honestly, within the city limits. '99 was on the ground longer, more damage from a state standpoint. inside the city, this looks worse. larger loss of life. i don't have any doubt we will rebuild. this is a very special place to the people that live here. they love their friends and neighbors. honestly, we get wonderful help

from surrounding communities and fellow americans. people really step up and help. they are tough. they will be back. we come back here in a couple years, you'll be amazed. >> what kind of help do you want from people around the country? what can people do? >> pray for us, if you are so inclined. it matters. second, we have a range of reputable charities from the salvation army, red cross and all sorts of things. that immediate help is important. longer term, you have something like this. it will be a state and federal role in the rebuilding effort an locality here. they had the good fortune to visit with the president about that. it couldn't have been nicer. same thing with speaker boehner. i know we'll get the bipartisan support to be successful.

>> there was a fight against that. you voted for relief. >> i said at the time, somebody asked me why are you doing this? i said in oklahoma, you are only one tornado away from being joplin, missouri. i had no idea it would be this quick. i feel strongly about that. i think you can do it prudently. you have to make sure they are clean bills in congress and you don't waste money. once a disaster happens, people don't need to watch the debate over funding. we can do that in washington, d.c. we need to know the help is coming and coming now. we had a vote on sandy relief to offset that so people had an opportunity. once that vote failed, it seemed to me you move on and do the right thing for people in a disaster. itis what i have always done. we got help when we needed it here. i feel an obligation to help other parts of the country. >> now you need that help again. >> we do.

sadly, we do. >> as someone who lived here for a long time with experience here, we know seven kids died in the plaza towers elementary school. there's no specific shelter in that school. is that something that should be part of school building here? >> it should be and it is now. most of the newer buildings, that's an older building. sadly, that building is like me, it's old. i used to be the grounds keeper when i was putting myself through college. it's still the strongest building in the area. you are talking thick walls and interior. ift was the safest place to be. when you are aboveground an f-4 or 5 and now it looks like a five rolled through, there's no safe place. >> we are standing where we are right now. it's got to be hard to see all this around you. >> i went there yesterday with

the governor and delegation. it's also a local polling place. i have been there dozens of times over the years. knocked on doors as a local candidate. i tell you, i couldn't recognize where i was at. i looked at the building and couldn't tell it was a school. just looked at it. that kind of destruction, even for here and we are used to it, is really unusual. >> come back in a year and it will look different. >> it will. >> your strength is infectious. thanks for being with us. >> appreciate it. coming up, the heroes amid the devastation. there are so many. you will meet a teacher who made just the right move to save her elementary school students. stay with us. all stations come over to mission a for a final go. this is for real this time. step seven point two one two. verify and lock. command is locked.

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welcome back to "early start." we are hearing lots of stories of heroes in moore, oklahoma. many teachers at briarwood elementary risked their own lives shielding kids with their bodies to keep them safe. others guided students to bathrooms for cover seconds before the twister hit. >> before i shut the doors, because the bathrooms had doors, i said i'm going to shut the doors, i love you. the boys looked at me strange. i said the same to the girls and they said i love you back. we sat in the closet and prayed. >> i love that they kept hearing i love you. everyone at briarwood elementary school survived. if you want to help the victims

by giving blood or food or shelter, go to cnn.com/impact. a woman said earlier gift cards are welcome because she can't take the stuff she's been given without a home. a special edition of "starting point" starts right now. >> those are homes, roofs. we tour the devastating damage in oklahoma. the tornado that ripped apart lives, limbs, homes, schools, families. she asked if she was okay. i said she didn't make it. >> she died in moore, oklahoma. this hour, we'll hear from a gimily who lost their little