Following some devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma, CBS decided to pull and episode of the show 'Mike and Molly' that involved a tornado plot and along with that many athletes in the sports world sent their support for the victims.
The episode of the show involved a tornado descending on the city of Chicago and the network felt it was appropriate to pull the episode. The Oklahoma City Thunder were right in the thick of the devastation and a number of athletes, including Kevin Durant and New York Mets pitcher Jeremy Hefner, who attended school in more, sent their support to the victims. Durant wrote that he was praying for the victims and that "Everybody stay safe!" The Tornado knocked over hundreds of homes and grew to be over a mile wide and killed over 50 people with the number expected to rise.
Hefner has family in the area and said they were all okay for now, while Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker wrote on Twitter to send his support, as he is from Oklahoma City. Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper sent out his prayers for the victims, as did NASCAR drive Danica Patrick. University of Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione told ESPN that the campus was safe from the tornado Dodgers star Matt Kemp posted online that he was donating money to Oklahoma victims for all the home runs he hits until the All-Star break.
Many athletes and people in the sports community have ties to the area, including Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura and Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden, who both played at Oklahoma State. Kansas Jayhawks basketball coach Bill Self also went to the school and sent out his support.
"It's a tragedy when you see a natural disaster like that take place, so many innocent people that are certainly affected, if not directly by injury or possibly loss of life," Boston manager John Farrell said. "Having been through something similar back in 1997 that had probably very similar damage, it's a scary situation. Our thoughts are with all the people affected."
