A series of deadly tornadoes ravaged large areas of the South, killing at least 35 people and leaving residents stunned and weary. But in the midst of the tragedy, a young man emerged as a true hero. University of Alabama officials confirmed that John Servati, a 21-year-old member of the school's swimming and diving team, died in Tuscaloosa after being injured in a house near campus.

Servati held up a concrete wall long enough for his girlfriend to get out from underneath it before it collapsed on him. One of Servati's coaches said, "Man, as a person, John was a great guy. He was a great Christian, he was strong in his faith. You could tell by the way he lived his life, not the way he talked about it."