Miss. Mom Dies Saving Kids From Tornado

(CBS)  More than two days after a massive tornado tore across 17 Mississippi counties, Yazoo City resident Sherry Carpenter is still overwhelmed by the loss.

Her three grandchildren were in this house when the tornado picked it up and smashed it to the ground.

Their mother, 30-year-old Nikki Bradshaw Carpenter, covered them with a mattress and then laid on top of it to protect them.

She was found dead but her sons survived, sheltered underneath the mattress and the wreckage.

"She saved those kids and gave her life," Carpenter told CBS News correspondent Don Teague. "But that was Nikki because those kids came first."

Officials say nearly 1,000 homes and businesses were destroyed when as many as 50 tornados swarmed across the southeast Saturday.

The largest, an E-F4 that struck Yazoo City with winds up to 170 miles per hour, measured 1.75 miles wide.

A typical tornado is just 50 yards wide.

Now the cleanup is under way and State and Federal agencies are doing what they can, with volunteers from near and far…doing the rest.

But some things can never be rebuilt. Like a family of boys whose mother died protecting them.

"They don't know their mama's gone and that they'll never see her again," said Carpenter of Nikki. "But she saved them. I have no doubt she saved those boys."

[itzmecherrilgeorge]

Astro 1959..God will take his children home when it is their time to go home! He does not have to explain it to you!

[itzmecherrilgeorge]

Those children had a HERO for a Mommy!How proud they will be of her now and for the rest of their lives! I'm sure she will be sorely missed. My heart goes out for all of those around her AND EVERYONE touched by this disaster. The GOOD thing is that I know that God heals hearts AND bodies because he healed me last week of my emphysema, so let's ALL PRAY FOR THEM ALL right now! Good luck <3

[trylove83]

I have been thinking about this mother and her children all morning since I first saw this on the news earlier. I think she deserves a special ceremony for what she did. Her last act while on this earth was to save her chidren. What a selfless thing to do. Mere words cannot express the courage she had and the love she felt for her babies while she was saving their lives and losing hers. I am so glad God didn't let it happen in vain. I'm so glad her act paid off and her children lived.

[nynakathryn]

To: who posted this by newsterl Save it, your prayers are a dime a dozen and a day too late, the woman is DEAD, prayers aren't gong to change that! you shoulda done that BEFORE she was murdered by this god, not afetrwards.


Have a little respect!!! No matter what your beliefs are!

[nynakathryn]

To: who posted this by newsterl Save it, your prayers are a dime a dozen and a day too late, the woman is DEAD, prayers aren't gong to change that! you shoulda done that BEFORE she was murdered by this god, not afetrwards.


Have a little respect!!! No matter what your beliefs are! This Woman was my family.

[nynakathryn]

She was a wonderful person and mother. She truly is a hero.

[askagain]

The mother is an incredible person. My prayers are with her and her children.

[llfails40]

No, wait. Someone from Mississippi wouldn't have the sense to save her children. Is everyone forgetting - Mississippians are backwoods, ignorant, stupid people who don't have enough sense to get out of the rain much less put a mattress over their children to save them. For those of you who are Mississippi haters - the people of this great state are wonderful,nice,smart,loving people. We are very family oriented and this Mother who gave all is just one great example of the GREAT people we have in our GREAT State. Our thoughts and prayers are with this family as well as all the families who lost family members and belongings in the recent tornadoes. I feel your pain. I survived Katrina.

[proudmilvet]

God Bless Mom's Everywhere!

[proudmilvet]

The Mom Cat's name was Scarlett. She passed away about a year ago. I think she enjoyed a fairly long & Happy Life!

[proudmilvet]

Reminds me of a story years ago. A stray Cat on Long Island, N.Y. was rescued along with her Kittens by the "North Shore Animal League." The mother Cat had repeatedly gone back & forth into a burning building to rescue her Kittens one by one until they we're all safe. they we're all rescued by Firemen & taken to the Animal League. One of the Kittens did'nt make it, but the Mom Cat & her 4 other Kittens did. the Mom Cat was burned & had to undergo weeks of treatment but eventually made it & was adopted along with her Surviving Kittens. One of the Vets at the Animal Hospital said, "A Mother will go through Fire for Her Children!"