CORDOVA, Alabama -- Moments before brothers Jonathan and Justin Doss fled for their lives from a tornado bearing down on top of them, the two, along with a friend, had been tossing a football around.
That last pickup game played by his boys is an image that provides a tad of comfort to their father, Scott Doss.
"They both played football in school," said Doss. "Jonathan played from the time he was 6 and Justin started in the first grade. Just the other day they were talking about the upcoming season, who they would be playing. They were excited. ... They really did love the game."
Jonathan, 12, and Justin, 10, died together when the friend's home they sought shelter in was destroyed by the storm that hit Cordova. Their friend was hurt but survived, said Doss.
While the brothers shared a love for football, their father said the two were very different in other ways.
"Justin loved to draw, to build things," said his dad. "I remember he cut some sticks and pretended they were wands and he was a wizard, a Harry Potter. And he was funny, a real cutup."
Doss said his older boy was more serious and beginning to show signs of becoming a teenager.
"Jonathan was real headstrong. He was reaching that age where he had something to say about everything," said Doss. "If he thought something that aggravated me, that was all the better. He used to test me, say things to see what I would do. Funny now how much I miss that."
Doss said Justin was about to join the Boy Scouts.
"He wanted to join Scouts, wanted to be part of those guys, wanted to do the camping thing and all the other stuff they do," said Doss. "I think he would have been a good Scout."
Doss said Jonathan was in the middle of working on a rap song.
"He and some of his buddies I guess were writing it, practicing it, doing whatever you do when it comes to rap," said Doss. "... I wish he had gotten to finish it."