CLAREMORE, Okla. — Now that the record-setting rains have subsided for now, families in Claremore, Oklahoma have begun to clean up.
Tracy and Jim Thrun, like many other flood victims, have to start from scratch as they wait on approval for a Small Business Administration loan.
The Thrun family is devastated by losing everything they own and facing the challenge of rebuilding.
When the water began to rise back in May, Tracy's husband Jim told her they had only an hour to pack up their valuables.
“It was really difficult to deal with that, I had quite a few meltdowns.” Tracy Thrun said. “But when we saw what happened afterwards, we knew there was nothing in the house.”
Both Rogers County and FEMA officials made it clear the home could not be saved.
“We basically have to come into this home and gut it and have it hauled away you know” Thrun said.
After demolition is complete, the Thrun’s plan to build a new home on the same site. However, the new home will be raised significantly to keep it safe from future floods.
To help get them back on their feet Tracy's sister Cyndi Smith made up a T-shirt that reads "We are going to be okay". To date, she has raised $1100 from sales.
“It’s heart breaking to see anybody go through it, but to see someone this close to me actually deal with something like this is almost unbelievable” Cindy Smith said.
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