Group comes from across state lines to help El Reno tornado victims

News
This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

EL RENO, Okla. – “We’re just trying to get a little bit of our stuff back… The good majority of it is gone, but the one guy we had on the first floor got a good portion of his back, but the rest of us were on the second floor and it’s just gone,” said tornado survivor Clayton Biere.

People are still picking up the pieces in El Reno.

“We can go without our things, we can always recoup what we lost for work, but you can’t replace a life and that’s the sad part about what happened in the trailer park,” Biere said.

Other are rushing from all over to help.

“People lose their homes, their lives, everything, their businesses. It’s a shame,” said president of the Kansas Spur Hunters Jim Shelton.

“People need help… and we have the capability of doing it, so we looked at each other and said that’s what we do up home, let’s come down here,” said Threw Critters BBQ owner Justin McLaughlin.

Traci and Justin McLaughlin drove to El Reno Monday to pitch in the best way they know how.

“Within 10 hours, we had a trailer full plus four vehicles completely packed full,” Traci said.

Justin bought the food truck in September. El Reno wasn’t their first stop.

“We first went to Ponca City, and Blackwell and home, and we heard that they were pretty much taken care of, the flood waters are still bad but they’ve gotten people and the resources there,” Traci said.

The couple left behind their own flooded home in Kansas.

“I was worried and upset because of my stupid carpet and my stupid flooring, and that’s nothing, who gives a crap,” Traci said.

The sight of the damage while they were driving in put things into perspective.

“Our problem is nothing no more. Coming down here, every one of us had tears in their eyes, seeing everything, and it’s heartbreaking,” Traci said.

“I haven’t even looked at the pictures, didn’t want to, just knew we needed to come,” Justin said.

The couple was aided by groups from:

  1. Caldwell, KS (including the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department)
  2. Arkansas City, KS
  3. Winfield, KS
  4. Wellington, KS
  5. Newkirk, OK
  6. Ponca City, OK
  7. Blackwell, OK

Latest News

More News

National News

More National

Washington D.C.

More Washington DC Bureau

Your Local Election HQ

More Your Local Election HQ

Latest News

More News

Popular

KFOR Podcasts

More Podcasts

Follow @KFOR on Twitter