MANNFORD, Okla. — On March 14, 2025, wildfires ripped through Mannford, scorching properties, displacing families, and forcing the closure of Highway 48 as flames raged out of control.
The nightmare started for Mannford resident Angel Corral while he was at work and his family was at home, with no warning and no time to prepare. His family escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
"It was just a typical day. I was at work. My siblings were at school. Family was home. We didn't — we did not plan for this day to happen, but the fire just grew and grew and got out of control," Corral said.
With nowhere to turn, Corral feared the worst — until his employer stepped in, offering the family shelter at one of their duplexes.
"When all hope was lost, we were thinking of a shelter — whether it was a hotel, something to provide. My work reached out to me, providing us a shelter at one of their duplexes. And we've been blessed ever since for their generosity," Corral said.
His employer wasn't the only one who showed up for the Corral family. Churches, friends, and family also rallied around them in the days that followed.
"Churches, family, friends — they messaged us about our sizes, they got us clothes. We were thankful for the food as well. We didn't have to worry about groceries for a bit. A lot of our fears were taken care of," Corral said.
One year later, the road to recovery remains long. Corral is tangled in legal battles over his property and says rebuilding has taken far longer than he ever expected. What remains of his home is burned to ashes, along with two cars and a handful of memories.
Still, Corral said he hasn't lost hope — and he wants others in Mannford to know they shouldn't either.
"No one's completely rebuilt just yet. Even a year passed — it might even take longer than that. No one's situation is the same, but you're not alone. No one's alone. We're all here to help each other and build back up," Corral said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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