Oklahoma tornado survivor credits her faith for saving life as roof above her sucked away
The woman and her partner would survive an EF-3 tornado in an unimaginable experience that ripped through downtown Sulphur, Oklahoma, destroying nearly every business on West Muskogee Avenue.
Airbnb owner opens home to shelter couple from deadly tornado in Sulphur, Oklahoma
FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell reports from downtown Sulphur, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, providing the latest updates on the aftermath of the tornado.
SULPHUR, Okla. – Nicole Richardson saw death before her eyes as a powerful tornado spun above her in the darkness of night.
The roof above her suddenly ripped away as she stood in an upstairs loft apartment in downtown Sulphur, Oklahoma. Now, the only light available was from bright flashes of lightning as tornado sirens blared in the distance.
All she could do was pray.
"Just knowing that God had us, made our faith stronger," she praised.
SULPHUR, OKLAHOMA, BUSINESS OWNERS COPE WITH CATASTROPHIC TORNADO DAMAGE
Tornado damage is seen in Sulphur, Oklahoma, on April 30, 2024. (Brandy Campbell / FOX Weather)
Survival mode
Hours before, the truck driver and her partner decided to make a detour through the small town Saturday evening to seek shelter from the approaching severe weather. They were traveling south on Interstate 35 and searching for a safe Airbnb.
The two received a warm welcome just before 8:30 p.m. over the phone from their host, Paul Solorzan, who lived over 100 miles away in Texas. He was very helpful and provided them with recommendations for nearby dining options, as well as a secure place to park their 18-wheeler before the upcoming storm.
Less than two hours later, his guests would survive an EF-3 tornado in an unimaginable experience that ripped through the downtown area, destroying nearly every business on West Muskogee Avenue. Sadly, a woman was found dead in a sports bar across the street from where Richardson and her partner sought shelter.
"We heard a loud boom that was like a crackling noise. It was like a freight train," Richardson recalled. "You could just hear stuff falling apart, and that’s when dust started coming through the crack of the door."
DRONE VIDEO SHOWS SULPHUR NEARLY UNRECOGNIZABLE AFTER DIRECT HIT FROM TORNADO
Watch: Couple trapped in apartment after tornado destroys downtown Sulphur, OK
Historic Sulphur, Oklahoma, was left in ruins after a deadly EF-3 tornado spun through the downtown area, destroying everything in its path.
When the two found themselves trapped in the building, they frantically searched for a way out. After some time, Richardson's partner was able to use his body weight to forcefully open a door, allowing the two to climb out from the falling debris above them.
Upon exiting the crumbling two-story building, an alarming scene greeted them with overturned vehicles, scattered bricks, leaking water and debris littering the surrounding area. The chaotic and disorienting sight was startling.
"We don’t know anything about surviving a tornado, but instantly we went into survival mode," Richardson said.
The two made it to a gym next door where they hid under a couch for about an hour as they rode out what they were told would be a second, more severe round of storms on the way.
"A lot of people came in. They were hit with different things, debris and everything from the tornado," Richardson recalls. "We all were in a row, probably about at least an hour or two before somebody came and told us to go to the casino for help."
‘My heart just fell’
Solorzano received a call from a woman who cleans his rentals, saying that a tornado leveled the apartment building he owned where the truck drivers were staying.
"My heart just fell," he said.
After experiencing trouble sleeping, Solorzano drove from Denton, Texas, to Sulphur before sunrise on Sunday to witness the devastation firsthand. He recalled that traffic was very congested, and he attempted to reach out to his visitors, whom he had welcomed just hours prior.
No answer.
Solorzano assumed the cellphone towers were down, but after numerous attempts, he finally reached the couple.
"I just felt relieved they were alive," he said.
Drone video shows stretch of Sulphur, Oklahoma downtown after devastating tornado
First light tornado damage from Sulphur, Oklahoma was seen on April 28, 2024. Drone footage shows destroyed businesses and homes, as well as cars thrown and turned over from an intense tornado that passed through the town.
Better safe than sorry
The historic downtown Sulphur area was known for its eclectic shops, artists, restaurants and murals. It is now unrecognizable from tornado damage not seen this bad in years. The full extent of the damage wasn't clear until the sun rose that morning.
"Everybody that was in that town had cuts and bruises," Richardson said. "Some people lost their lives. We walked up out of there with absolutely nothing. The Lord had his protection over us the entire time."
The following day, Richardson and her partner made it out of Sulphur safely and got back on the road to head back home to South Texas.
"God really showed up and showed out on that day for us and others that we're able to survive it," Richardson applauded.
Richardson has learned her lesson and says that, in the future, if she ever finds herself in a similar situation, she will take Tornado Warnings seriously and seek secure shelter. She understands that even if a tornado doesn't hit, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Nearly 30 tornadoes tore across Oklahoma that evening. During the outbreak, the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, issued 59 Tornado Warnings, the most issued in a single day by that NWS office.
"It was something that will never be forgotten," Richardson said.