There’s a new hero in town. She’s a storyteller. For one hour, Antoinette Tuff held off a crazed gunman at the elementary school where she serves as a bookkeeper, by talking to him and telling him stories of her life. Tuff told the 20 year old Brandon Hill stories of raising her son who has multiple disabilities and how her husband left her after 33 years of marriage.
Then Tuff blocked the doorway to the entry of the school, so he could not go out and repeat the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We don’t know much of her personal story, but we do know it took enormous courage to stay calm and take charge. I can’t help but believe that these are lessons she learned raising a son who gave her the courage and fortitude to deal with a really tough situation.
Hill entered the school building with an AK-47 assault rifle and allegedly had 500 rounds of ammunition. He told Tuff he was prepared to kill and be killed. At the end, Hill also is reported to have shot at police, but no one was injured.
Antoinette Tuff lives up to her last name and is truly a role model for all exceptional parents. Being a true hero, she downplays her efforts.
“I give it all to God,” she said. “I am not the hero. I was terrified.”
We must all learn to cherish the inner strength and that raising a child outside of the box gives to us. Now, will the Decatur School System give her a promotion? She needs to share her story on a bigger stage.