Good friends come to rescue of Alabama tornado victims

Lots of acquaintances, few friends

The Johnsens' entire neighborhood in west-central Alabama was virtually wiped out, with more than 400 buildings destroyed or damaged. The powerful storm killed 11 people and left 250 families homeless in the area.

Melissa Johnsen and her husband, Ken, survived the tornado that destroyed their Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home

As soon as the storms passed, temperatures dropped into the 20s, adding to the misery of the victims.

Melissa and her husband, Ken, survived ... just barely. As the New Year began, they were officially homeless, but did have a roof over their heads, thanks to the Roy family.

"You can have a lot of acquaintances, but you'll have very few friends in your life," said Ken. "If you have true friends, you can count them on less than one hand."

A tornado was just the latest of Ken's problems. He's suffered through stomach cancer, leukemia, diabetes and kidney failure in the last few years. But he's hanging on, smiling with his wife, warmed by memories of a Christmas spent in tight quarters with the Roys and their two children.

Melissa has quit her job as a school crossing guard so she can be by the side of her seriously ill husband.

Our food is your food

The Johnsens will have to stay in the Roys' crowded mobile home another month or so. "No problem," say the Roys, adding, "our food is your food, our house is yours."

More help is coming from other sources. The car insurance money has arrived, and the home insurance should be on the way. Other help is coming from the couple's church.

"I wake up each morning, and I pray for the good Lord to help me through the day," Melissa said. "And when the day is over, I thank God for that day. And then I start the next one."

In the meantime, the Red Cross is helping out with any supplies the Johnsens and their neighbors might need. And even amid the cold and snow and rubble, life is slowly come back to their old neighborhood.