Couple Recalls Taking Cover As Elk City Tornado Tore Through Neighborhood

<p>From broken windows to total losses, every home in one Elk City neighborhood is damaged by the tornado.&nbsp;</p>

Wednesday, May 17th 2017, 7:36 pm

By: News 9


From broken windows to total losses, every home in one Elk City neighborhood is damaged by the tornado.

“We stayed out and watched it until we saw the rain starting to wrap and it reversed, and we hit the shelter so.”

Lana Graham and her family piled into a small storm shelter, including her dogs and her pre-mature grandson.

“It sounds like a train coming. You could hear the hail in the clouds,” said Graham.

And then it was over.

“When we came out, the insulation was blown all over the garage and some of it was blown on my car,” said Graham.

Every home on the street was in pieces.

“My brother’s house is a loss, my parents’ house is a loss,” said Graham.

Most of Lana's family lives in the neighborhood and so do her students. She's an Elk City science teacher.

“We have about 10 kids in the neighborhood that I teach, that most of them have lost their homes,” said Graham.

She said this year has been hard enough without the tornado.

“Larry, my boyfriend, we just got back from the city from his chemo yesterday.”

Larry Johnson is battling stage 4 colon cancer, but putting his community first.

“I got my chemo pump and just walked around the neighborhood, made sure everybody is okay,” said Johnson.

Graham and Johnson said Elk City is resilient.

“Every single person in my family lost their home this year, but we have faith.”

Seeing all this damage, they're grateful.

“No one was hurt, no one passed away. We're good,” said Graham.

After the interview with the family, their dog got away. She was scared from the tornado and all this damage. If anyone in the area has seen her, contact News 9’s Tiffany Liou to help reunite them. 

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