BARNSDALL, Okla. — On May 6, 2024, the town of Barnsdall changed after a deadly EF-4 tornado left homes and businesses with little hope of salvage.
Going back to Barnsdall the sounds of chainsaws and demolition turned to chirping and vegetation where homes once stood. The east side of town is left with storm shelters and the memory of the community that lived there.
2 News went back to talk with people living in town and those left alone because their neighbors no longer called Barnsdall home.
That’s where Lela Moles said she went after her daughter saw the tornado heading to Barnsdall.
“It was awful. The man letting people in and out at the door said, ‘Oh it hit.’ And I just turned to the corner. I was standing in the corner in there and I turned around and just went to pray. Please help the people, help the people,” Moles said.
Not knowing if her house still stood, she stayed at the school until the morning. When she finally saw her home, it was a moment of relief, met with sadness.
“I didn’t think I’d have a home left and then when I’d seen all my neighbors without anything, I felt so guilty because I had a home and they didn’t,” said Moles.
WATCH: 2 News spoke with Moles' neighbor the day after the storm:
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'In a matter of seconds, it's gone'| Barnsdall woman loses home
Her home now sits in solitude, and her neighbors are forced to tear down their homes.
She said it’s hard for her to see the emptiness around her.
“I couldn’t even sit out and have a cup of coffee, it was just so sad. I’d sit out here and cry,” Moles said.
After a month at her daughter’s house following the storm, there was a reason she went back.
“I was just raised here, you know, it’s home. It’s just my home,” she said.
However, she’s ready for people to come back, but a moratorium in Barnsdall is blocking the rebuilding process for about 20 homes.
That’s because a cleanup effort needs to be made on Bird Creek before rebuilding on the west side of the creek. But the process has been slow.
“It’s terrible, you just look out and see all the destruction. I don’t know if it will ever be brought back,” said Moles
Mayor Johnny Kelley told 2 News he is hopeful people will be able to rebuild soon, saying the moratorium has shrunk once and they’re working to get more people out of it now.
“We did some work on decreasing the size of that again and trying to stay inside the parameter. We have to stay in compliance, and it looks hopeful,” said Kelley.
Kelley said those parameters are all due to funding and cleanup guidelines set by state and federal agencies. He said he’s confident that their recent proposal will inspire movement soon.
“We’ve been very unfortunate for circumstances. No one can control Mother Nature, but we’ve been very fortunate in the matter that people responded to us and tried to help us,” said Kelley.
Moles told 2 News she’s ready for the community around her to return.
“It’s a good feeling, that people don’t forget about you. That you matter,” said Moles.
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