Community Comes Together To Support Fort Gibson Business

A Fort Gibson business owner is overwhelmed by the community support he’s received. 

Mike Cooper’s farm equipment business is located right in the middle of the flood zone from the Arkansas River, and he said the community stepped up in a big way when he started preparing for the flood. 

Cooper said he’s dodged bullets before when it comes to flooding, but this time they weren’t so lucky. 

“I didn’t really plan on it getting that deep,” he said. “I don’t think anybody did.”

He and his employees started moving lawn mowers and tractors Tuesday evening.

Cooper said when he got back from dropping off his first load, helpers were there waiting on him, and gradually, more people from all over the area continued to show up. 

“I don’t know how many were there,” he said.  “I’m going to say over 100. It was just overwhelming.”

“We couldn’t give people keys fast enough to get on a tractor,” his wife, Kelly, said. 

All through the night and into Wednesday, Cooper’s 125 tractors were on the move to higher ground.

“We drove them down the highway just like a big convoy,” he said. 

What’s left inside his building is destroyed, but Mike and Kelly said today, they feel nothing but gratefulness. 

“I can’t think of anywhere in the world I’d rather live than right here,” Mike said. 

“Thank you doesn’t do it,” Kelly said. “But I love my little town. I love the state of Oklahoma.”

Mike and Kelly said some of the people who came to help them have lost their homes to flooding.

They said there aren’t enough ways to say thank you to the community who saved their business.