Help Arrives For Family Threatened By North Canadian River

Help arrived in Choctaw for a family that's been waiting to see if erosion from recent flooding would send their home into the North Canadian River.

Friday, June 7th 2013, 7:14 pm

By: News 9


Help arrived in Choctaw for a family that's been waiting to see if erosion from recent flooding would send their home into the North Canadian River.

About three homes on Gary and Rhonda Buford's property in Choctaw risked sinking into the water.

"I got pictures of me standing on the edge. It's just falling off within the feet of me," said Shelly Neely of Choctaw.

For more than a year, Neely has lived in the mobile home on Triple X Road next door to her cousins, the Buford's. But since the May 31 storms, the property started falling into the river, including two barns, huge pecan trees, their fence and birdhouses.

"We just didn't think it was going to get this close to the house because we were a long, long ways from the river," said Rhonda Buford.

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Volunteers with the Manufactured Housing Association of Oklahoma showed up Friday morning and hooked the mobile home to a truck.

"They had put axles on and the new tires on and then you know they had to jack it up and lower it back down which is a process," said Deanna Fields, of the Manufactured Housing Association of Oklahoma.

FEMA and the Red Cross surveyed the damage and are helping the family. Shelly is thankful and relieved she can keep her home, but feels bad for her cousin's house which is in danger of falling in the river.

"I'm not as displaced as Rhonda and Gary, but I'm just very grateful," Neely said. "Blessings come up when we least expect then, so I'm just blessed in all this. I'm grateful."

Neely's mobile home is going to be moved to a mobile home park off Westminster and 23rd while the Buford's are staying with friends for the weekend until they find a new place to stay.

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