Natural disasters, as well as crises of the man-made variety, call on leaders of school districts to manage scenarios impossible to predict and for which no amount of training can adequately prepare. One thing all major crises hold in common is their far-reaching effects, which can run the gamut from personal safety and mental well-being to the basic needs of housing and food. Snap decisions are a given. Some come from the gut, some from experience. Some are made alone, others benefit from the counsel of colleagues. Flexibility and adaptability are the rule. Each crisis situation is unique with no one-size-fits-all approach to managing the aftermath. This article presents four stories of professional responses and personal coping by superintendents in the aftermath of a lethal tornado, massive flooding, the shooting death of a principal and the fatality of four varsity football players in a car crash.