TULSA -- A Tulsa woman speaks about watching her family and friends escape the California wildfires in the small town of Paradise.
Amy Wilderom got a call from her Mom last Thursday, she says her voice was on edge.
"She was basically like please pray for us, they’re telling us we need to evacuate," said Amy Wilderom, who now lives in Tulsa.
She spent hours praying not able to get back in touch with her Mom, while anxiously hearing the death toll rising from the California wildfires.
"She assumed it was just another false alarm, not realizing that the whole town would be destroyed in just a matter of hours," said Wilderom.
Wilderom finally heard from her parents later that day that they evacuated from Paradise, along with her grandmother.
"My dad’s description was like, it was driving through an apocalyptic movie," said Wilderom.
The tight knit town of Paradise looks like anything but, neighbors grabbing what they can and leaving behind cherished possessions.
"You can just feel the loss and the sadness that all their memories are gone, all of our…our town is gone," said Wilderom.
Wilderom's hometown is in ashes, and while she feels helpless living miles away, she says she's thankful her family is safe in Southern California.
"I just want to go give my grandma and parents a hug and thankful that they survived and they’re okay and all my friends, too," said Wilderom.
Wilderom started a fundraiser for her hometown and asks the community to help the people who have lost their homes.
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