Cowboy Elves Deliver Early Christmas Presents To OK Tornado Victims

The tornado that ripped through Oklahoma on May 19 destroyed Steelman Estates in Bethel Acres. And while one by one these families are slowly rebuilding, on Sunday, they got an early Christmas present from some elves on horseback.

"I was shocked," said tornado victim Michelle Hoke at the surprise visit.

"I just saw a bunch of people showing up on a bunch of horses," said Cassie, Hoke's daughter.

Members of the New Hope Cowboy Ministry of McLoud saddled up to deliver some early Christmas cheer to the tornado victims in Steelman Estates.

"I can't imagine having to go through this devastation Just to see what's still tore up after so many months is sad," church member Terry Carnes said while sitting on his horse.

So Sunday, Carnes and his church posse rode into the neighborhood to go door to door on horseback and foot to pay each family here a visit and give each one of them an envelope full of $50 in cash.

"It's been a rough year," said Mary Rose Marshall, who also lost her home on May 19. "You hear about all this bad stuff but then when something like this happens, you realize that the world's not all bad."

"It may not be a big gift, but it's just mainly to let them know that we do care," said Carnes.

The church gave out $2,000 to 40 families. The church says the money passed out on Sunday was from donations they collected from people all across the country wanting to help tornado victims here in Oklahoma.