Jamaica Showers and Tori Thomas were both away from their early childhood care centers when the tornado struck on May 16.

Showers is the owner of Jamaica Showers Playcare Center on Natural Bridge Avenue, and Thomas owns and operates Magical Minds Childcare 2 on Page Boulevard.

Thomas was at her second child care facility that she’s preparing to open later this year, and Showers had stepped away to get lunch. Both were about 10-15 minutes away from their respective centers.

Showers remembered watching the sky grow dark and then green on her drive home.

Her phone blared “TAKE SHELTER NOW.”

She hopped out of her car and ran into a gas station. Showers called her staff at the center, but kept getting a busy signal.

There were about 18 kids inside the facility.

Meanwhile, Thomas was able

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