"It's just people helping people..."

In hard times, people will either stick together or tear each other apart.

And, as far as I can tell, Midwest people pride themselves on sticking together through those tough times.

There's some truth to it, I believe, especially since we're all part of "Tornado Alley." As news about the tragedy in Joplin continues to pour in, Kansans and Wichitans continue to pour out their love, support, prayers, and money to the devastated community.

"It's just people helping people," as one lady said today while she was making a donation to the Red Cross for the tornado victims.

In a strange, but not unlikely, coincidence, both of the stories I followed today were about the Wichita community's efforts to help Joplin victims: the first was about a fundraiser at local Applebee's; the other, a local doctor who went to Joplin to volunteer.

As one of the photographers and I were talking and filming people at Applebee's, two people dropped checks into the Red Cross donation box. One lady decided to talk to us and commented on how Midwest people have to stick together and help each other out.

Later in the afternoon, I went with a reporter and another photographer to interview a doctor who had gone to Joplin only hours after the tornado.

He told us he had visited Haiti right after the earthquake, and said that there was a significant different in how well-equipped Joplin was to handle this disaster in comparison.

His story was amazing. He said he couldn't believe all of the devastation. He just wanted to help the people at Memorial Hall, which had been converted into a make-shift medical facility.

After the reporter asked him all of the questions, she asked me if I wanted to ask him any.

There was one question in particular I was eager to ask him:

"What was going through your mind as you were driving away from Joplin, and you could see it in your rear-view mirror?"

"Oh my God," he said and then paused for a moment.

"It was just... surreal."

He said that the thing he remembers most about his time there was all the local doctors who, despite their personal losses, were still smiling and working through the long hours to help their patients.

"I was surprised by how quiet it was when we first got there," he said.

So, he emphasized how important it was to donate time, money, and supplies to all of the Midwest tornado victims.

It made me smile, as I still remembered those lady's words in my mind: "Just people helping people."

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Click here to see the package of Dr. Aaron Davis' story.