BIXBY, Okla.- Bixby leaders are rolling up their sleeves to clear away uprooted trees and debris in their communities.
The city was ravaged by last week's severe thunderstorms that left many without power for days.
One week later, Debbie Rotramel's yard is still devastated by those storms. She's got hundreds of years worth of growth crushing her property and her home. But Friday, help came and the process of rebuilding can finally begin.
"I saw all the trees down...I saw the trees down at the parks and I thought "please don't let that be at my place too," said Rotramel.
Rotramel's fears confirmed last Thursday as the storm took out three of the largest trees in the area.
One slammed down on her truck.
"I have no idea what else is damaged underneath all of this. It's just...heartbreaking," she said.
A ray of hope came for Rotramel Friday morning as crews showed up ready to work.
"It's the worst I've seen. We've got some big trees here and I know there's some more folks looking to help her with that," said Bixby Mayor John Easton.
Mayor Easton and other city leaders spent their morning helping homeowners even beyond Bixby City Limits who are struggling to bounce back.
"It'd be easy for someone to say' well that's not Bixby, we're moving on.' "No, we're all community here. We all take care of each other here," said Bixby City Councilman Ritchie Stewart.
Rotramel has a long way to go before she can move on from Mother Nature's fury, but she says a huge load has been lifted off her shoulders.
" I might be able to sleep tonight, I don't know. Still worried about my trailer, but hopefully it'll survive it," she said.
After seeing all of the work left to do, city leaders will have more clean-up days in the future.
If you're a Bixby resident who needs assistance, you're asked to call Bixby City Hall.
