Muskogee County Residents Brought Closer Together After EF1 Tornado

Friday's tornado in Muskogee County destroyed over a dozen homes and killed livestock.  County residents said, though it tore their homes apart, the storm also brought their neighbors on Elm Grove Road closer together.

"I can’t thank everyone enough for my neighbors helping me. I have good neighbors," tornado survivor Cissy Moore said. ​

Moore said she is still emotional thinking about Friday's tornado that touched down in her neighborhood near Keefton. Moore doesn't know if she would be alive if it wasn't for her neighbor, Daniel Scott. ​

"There's four doors in my home and I couldn't get out of any of them from the trees," Moore said. ​

Daniel Scott, who is 17, said he was at his home across the street when the tornado struck. Scott rushed to help as many neighbors around him after the tornado passed through. He knew Moore was elderly and was living alone and ran to her house first.

"I picked her up, and I took her into the house,” Scott said. “I sat her down because she was shaking and cold and wrapped her in towels. I saved her life.” 

Daniel’s father, Danny, said their family is OK and many family members were not home when the storm came through. Danny said they had extensive damage to their homes and lost livestock. ​

The National Weather Service said the EF1 tornado stretched approximately five miles down Elm Grove Road and destroyed the Scotts' shed along with other homes and buildings.

Danny Scott said the miracle in all of this is his family and neighbors are all okay.

"It kind of pulls on your heartstrings, being thankful and grateful for what we do have,” Danny Scott said. “It could have been a whole lot worse. There are a lot of people who have a whole lot more destruction than we did.”

​Daniel said the storm left destruction, but it built lasting bonds. He and Cissy are now not only neighbors but friends. 

"I'm glad I helped [Cissy],” Daniel Scott said. “It made us all come together.”

If you are still in need of assistance by the American Red Cross, you call them at 918-682-1366.