Tulsa Hospice Patients Find Refuge After Being Evacuated

Some Tulsans are resting easier tonight, after their stay at a hospice center was interrupted last night.

Another hospice is welcoming the residents of Clarehouse, after raw sewage backed up into the facility.

Porta Caeli House’s mission is the same as Clarehouse: giving people a comfortable home for their final days. When they heard all the residents would be forced out, they opened their doors. 

Related Story - UPDATE: Tulsa Clarehouse Hospice Guests Moved After Sewage Leak

People staying at Clarehouse Hospice Home come for peace and comfort in their final days of life. 

Last night, that was all disrupted, when a blocked line forced raw sewage into the facility, forcing them to evacuate.

"It was devastating to think about what they're going through, and also to think about the logistics of how can we help,” said Jessica O’Dell, the Porta Caeli Clinical Manager. 

Jessica O'Dell works at Porta Caeli, a similar hospice home.

 "Last night we prepared beds and  received people into Porta Caeli from Clarehouse. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to serve,” said Deacon Kevin Sartorius, the CEO of Catholic Charities.

Their home is free for people to spend the end of their lives in a peaceful environment.

He said three Clarehouse residents are now staying at Porta Caeli.

”As the next week progresses, we’re gonna receive additional guests and they'll stay operational here,” Sartorius said. 

Their home has 12 rooms, he says six of those will be for Clarehouse residents. 

Some Clarehouse employees are at Porta Caeli to give them familiarity. 

“They seem to have settled in it was hectic when they all got in,” said O’Dell. 

Sartorius says the Clarehouse residents should stay at Porta Caeli for about a month. 

“We get to stand together in the days we're in a time of trial,” said Sartorius. 

Clarehouse is taking donations to help restore their building after all that raw sewage. 

Visit the Clarehouse Tulsa website to donate.