A true hero was crowned prom king in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Kirk Moore, principal of Pauls Valley High School, was recognized by his students for his heroism in stopping a suspected school shooter just a few weeks prior.

On April 7, 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, a former student, entered the school with a gun and intended to carry out a mass shooting inspired by the Columbine school shooting, according to court documents reviewed by KOCO-TV. However, he was stopped by Moore, who courageously tackled Hawkins and held him down in a feat of strength while wrestling the weapon from his hands.

In the process, shots were fired, and Moore was hit in the leg. He was treated at a local hospital and released two days later.

In a statement released shortly after the shooting, Moore expressed gratitude to his community and supporters.

“Words alone cannot begin to express my gratitude for the outpouring of love and support I have received from the Pauls Valley community,” he said. “I am forever grateful for the support I am receiving from those close to me, as well as new friends who have wished me well in their prayers. This support is the reason I am healthy and recovering today.”

He added, “Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats. I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me.”

Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May also acknowledged Moore’s courage.

“It doesn’t surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took,” May said, according to NBC News. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives.”

To help cover his medical expenses and rehabilitation, a GoFundMe campaign was started for Moore.

Principal Moore crowned prom king

In a video shared on TikTok, Moore receives a hero’s welcome after being announced as prom king. The DJ tells the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, our king…Kirk Moore!”

@cbsnews Principal Kirk Moore, the high school principal who tackled a gunman in an Oklahoma school’s lobby and stopped a potential mass shooting was crowned prom king by the students, who voted to honor him for his heroic actions. #Oklahoma #schoolshooting #highschool #principal #prom ♬ original sound – cbsnews

Principal Kirk Moore, the high school principal who tackled a gunman in an Oklahoma school’s lobby and stopped a potential mass shooting was crowned prom king by the students, who voted to honor him for his heroic actions. #Oklahoma #schoolshooting #highschool #principal #prom ♬ original sound – cbsnews

The DJ plays “Hero,” Nickelback’s fitting hit, as Moore enters the frame, and his students go wild with cheers and applause. He high-fives them as he walks by, and a crown is placed on his head.

His students are ecstatic, jumping up and down and screaming for him. Moore appears emotional and hugs the prom queen as they pose for photos together.

@oz11201 #principalhero #PaulsValley #hero #promking #KirkMoore ♬ original sound – Oz

#principalhero #PaulsValley #hero #promking #KirkMoore ♬ original sound – Oz

The emotional video also had a deep impact on viewers, who sang Moore’s praises:

“Because of him… ALLLLLLLLLLLL the kids were able to attend!!!!”

“That’s awesome his kids obviously love him! Outfitting, considering the circumstances!”

“The Pauls Valley High Student Body has spoken! Prom King Legend…Kirk Moore.”

“And THIS is how legends are made! ❤️”

“This is hopecore 😩🥹❤️”

“Yes sir!!! So deserving. Absolute HERO.”

“What a beautiful way to honor a beautiful man! I’m sitting here crying, can’t imagine what his students and their parents are feeling!!”

A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a  gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing. 

Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold. 

A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen. 

Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing. 

Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to  loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth. 

Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:

Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis 

Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community

Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or  in one of 60   countries where we work around the globe

Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door 

Shop or donate at your local Habitat ReStore

Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone. 

Visit habitat.org/open-door to learn more and get involved today. 

Before Jennifer Garner was a household name, she was a 22-year-old hostess at a restaurant in New York City. She was seating people, managing waits, and doing something else she’d kept quiet about for a long time.

On the Dish Podcast with broadcaster Nick Grimshaw and Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett, released March 4, Garner finally laid it out. “You put the beautiful people at certain tables,” she said. “You put celebrities at certain tables. And if somebody even mildly famous walked in…”

The system had a name for the people who didn’t meet the standard. When Garner and her colleagues wrote down reservation names, some of them got a circle next to them. “If we put a circle next to them, they got seated in Siberia,” she said.

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Hartnett confirmed this wasn’t unique to Garner’s restaurant. In high-end dining establishments, she said, the word “Siberia” is industry shorthand for the section where less desirable customers are quietly deposited — away from the windows, away from the room’s natural center of gravity, and away from the diners the restaurant actually wants other people to see.

One of Garner’s clearest memories involves Steve Martin, who was a regular and had a very specific preference: table five. If someone was already sitting at table five when Martin arrived, Garner had to move them. Mid-meal, mid-date, mid-whatever they were doing.

“I would have to go to those people and say, ‘I am moving you to the bar, and I’m going to buy you some calamari and that’s going to be on me,’” she said, describing the awkwardness of being a 22-year-old telling a couple on a date that they were being relocated because someone more famous had shown up.

Garner called the whole practice “merchandizing” the restaurant — treating the dining room the way a retailer treats a window display, positioning the most appealing elements where they’d be seen.

Grimshaw’s response, on hearing the Siberia detail for the first time: “I’m going to rethink every restaurant I’ve ever been in.”

The phenomenon........

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