The touching reunion of two Oklahoma tornado survivors, Jim Routon and seven-year old Hezekiah Darbon, was captured by photographers after Routon discovered the little boy he calls "little dog" was alive and well, according to the Daily Mail.
The two recently appeared on "Good Morning America" to discuss the publicized hug they shared after the tornado devastated their town of Moore, Okla. on Monday.
"When we got to [Briarwood Elementary School] it was pretty much chaos and destruction and people were just running in all directions trying to find their children - it was really a surreal event," Routon said to "GMA" Wednesday morning. "The reunion was pretty special, he wasn't hurt. By the grace of God they made it all out safe."
Darbon is the son of Routon's neighbors, Joe and Dawn, a child he describes as his "part time kid" who is always at his home in Moore to play.
"He calls me big dog and I call him little dog," Routon said. "We have quite a relationship, he comes over, we play basketball and throw footballs around - he is kind of our part time kid."
Briarwood Elementary School was one of the buildings leveled by the mile-wide tornado with winds up to 200 mph, leaving parents in fear as they awaited the news on whether or not their children were alive. Darbon and Routon spoke to CNN recently about their experience during and after the twister.
"I knew that you were going to pick me up, so I just jumped," Darbon said to Routon of their reunion embrace. "And I just started hugging you really hard. I was crying a little bit, and I was happy that I survived."
"It was so chaotic. We just weren't sure. The school was pretty much devastated and mostly destroyed. We weren't sure if anyone was going to come out alive," said Routon, who told CNN that he needed the hug as much as the first grader. "To go over and see one of my favorite neighbor's child emerge, it was awesome. It was just an amazing feeling.
"He is a special little man and this will just enrich our relationship," Routon said of Darbon.
More than 100 survivors were pulled from the rubble on Monday and debris of homes, schools and hospital by rescue workers, but many were not so lucky. At least 24 people were killed after the twister hit, according to Time, revealing lower death rates than initially reported.
Click here to see a photo of Jim Routon and Hezekiah Darbon's reunion hug that was captured by photographers after the twister.
