One spring day a tornado touched down in West Texas near Paul's home. He was only three or four years old. At the first hint of trouble his father hustled all the children inside, laid them and their mother on the floor together, and covered them with a mattress. His father explained that they would be safe there. But as they waited out the tornado, Paul realized that his father had not climbed under the mattress with them. Paul peeked out to discover his dad standing at the window, watching the funnel cloud turn and twist across the prairie.

When Paul saw his father by the window, he knew where he wanted to be. He struggled out of his mother's arms, crawled out from under the mattress, and then ran and wrapped his arms around his dad's leg.

Paul recalled that day years later, and he sai…