OWASSO, Okla. - Eleven men with Nosak Tree Service traveled to South Carolina and Tennessee to help victims of Hurricane Matthew and the Gatlinburg wildfire.
“I have a personal feeling about it.... is to make sure people aren’t re-victimized," said Nosak Improvements Inc. Owner Paul Nosak.
He said he makes an effort to be the "good guys" and make sure people don't hire companies trying to rip them off. And he said he's been doing it a long time.
He and his men have been digging people out of disasters for 26 years, but this time was different.
“Hurricane Matthew was the heaviest storm damage I had seen in 20 years," he said.
He said they arrived late to Matthew so they were able to get everything cleaned up within weeks. But on their way back Gatlinburg, Tennesee, was set ablaze.
His men went without a second thought.
“I personally worked until 2 in the morning many nights trying to keep this job going," he said.
But the projects didn't come without risk.
A video of his son working on a building as it collapsed has millions of views on social media.
Nosak Improvements has been doing it 26 years but it comes with risk. This video of his son viewed millions of times https://t.co/mGPfeVOuVv pic.twitter.com/VXu3WFRDIu
— Ashley Holt (@AshleyHoltKJRH) April 5, 2017
But he says the stillness of the towns he worked in reminded them of all the work they had left to do.
“You kind of know those lives are gone. I don’t mean dead, but those lives are gone because they’re living in a motel, they’re living in a camper. They’re living in a new house and there’s no longer that life and spirit on the mountain."
And while he may rethink leaving his kids for so long again, he knows next time disaster hits he and his men are the ones to go lend a hand.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
