( CNN ) -- As the kids trooped back into the suburban Atlanta elementary school that was stormed by a gunman earlier this week , everyone was talking about Antoinette Tuff . The bookkeeper , an eight-year veteran of the DeKalb County school district , talked suspect Michael Brandon Hill into surrendering after a brief standoff with police Tuesday afternoon . Faced with an armed 20-year-old who told her he was off his medication for a mental disorder , Tuff shared stories of heartbreak from her own life to help calm him down -- a recent divorce , a son with multiple disabilities . Tuff was off Thursday as the students returned to Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy . But Principal Brian Bolden said he credited Tuff 's quick thinking for avoiding what could have been a major tragedy . `` Her name , Antoinette Tuff , says everything about her , '' Bolden said . `` Tough . She has always been that way from the first time I met her . '' Online , a Facebook page calls for Tuff to be awarded the Medal of Freedom , the nation 's highest civilian honor , while praise overflowed on Twitter . `` Antoinette Tuff used kindness and love in the face of terror , saved lives and showed true courage . Bravo Ms. Tuff , '' Kathy Groob wrote from Covington , Kentucky , in a typical reaction on Twitter . And in New York , Francis Lam added , `` Everyone : learn negotiation from her . '' Chris Voss , a former FBI hostage negotiator , said Tuff 's performance was `` amazing . '' `` She did n't do anything where she acted like a victim , '' Voss told CNN 's `` New Day . '' `` She did n't say , 'Please , do n't hurt anybody . ' She was very direct ... she actually calmed the dispatcher down . '' Her tone of voice and matter-of-fact manner with Hill `` did not encourage predatory behavior , '' Voss said . Georgia school shooting suspect was arrested in March . The recording of Tuff 's 911 call relays how calm she was . `` It 's going to be all right , sweetie , '' she tells Hill at one point in the call . `` I just want you to know I love you , though , OK ? And I 'm proud of you . That 's a good thing that you 're just giving up and do n't worry about it . We all go through something in life . No , you do n't want that . You going to be OK. `` I thought the same thing , you know , I tried to commit suicide last year after my husband left me . But look at me now . I 'm still working and everything is OK. '' Tuff , 46 , and her husband separated in 2012 after 26 years of marriage , and their divorce became final in June , according to court records . Their son is 22 . A neighbor , Charlie Smith , said Tuff is friendly , but reserved . Their conversations have typically been limited to waves and pleasantries , she said . `` Everybody 's doing their own thing , going to their own jobs , and when you come home you 've got a lot to do , '' said Smith , who learned of her neighbor 's role in the McNair standoff on television . `` She handled it really well , '' Smith said . Another nearby resident , Lula Rivers , said Tuff `` sacrificed herself '' for the children in her care , putting herself at mortal risk if things had gone differently . `` I am a retired teacher . We have a lot of teachers , principals and nurses in this neighborhood , '' Rivers said . `` I 'm sure she did what comes natural for a parent and someone coming out of this neighborhood . This is a nice , quiet neighborhood , and we cherish our children . '' Tuff has worked for the DeKalb County school system for eight years , three of them at McNair , schools spokesman Quinn Hudson said . Tuff is one of three staffers at McNair who are specifically trained for dangerous situations like Tuesday 's , he said . But DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander told CNN , `` You just do n't see that type of interaction in these types of situations very , very often at all . '' `` There are some things in life you can rehearse for , '' Alexander said . `` But this is a woman who just kept her calm , kept her wits about herself , maintained her composure in this very dangerous situation . '' CNN 's Devon Sayers contributed to this report .
`` We cherish our children , '' a neighbor says . School bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff talked down school gunman . Tuff had been trained for the threat of a school intruder , district says . Her name `` says everything about her , '' principal says .