18-03-2025
Stillwater families try to find something to salvage in fire-ravaged homes
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) – The City of Stillwater said more than 75 homes were destroyed during Friday's wildfire outbreak. Many of them were damaged in the connecting neighborhoods of Crosswinds and Pecan Hill.
'We sifted through things and everything that we found is damaged,' said Gayla Tierney, a homeowner who lost her home of five years.
She and her husband, Rick, went by their home on Monday for the final time. They made a promise to never go back.
'Hopefully we'll be able to find (a new home) quickly and move forward,' said Tierney.
A few doors down the street, the Cuellar family said it planned to rebuild their two-story home which was nothing but a pile of bricks now.'I'm grateful that the most important things were out of the house already,' said Jacob Cuellar, talking about his wife and two children. 'But to look back and see all of your life possessions are right there.'
Cuellar is a teacher and coach at Stillwater Junior High. He was emotional when talking about mementos that were now among the ashes of his home.'My team pictures of all the teams that I've coach that they were in there,' said Cuellar. 'Birthday presents from like my parents, they're gone.'
Luther family saved by Edmond Fire Crew #5
His father died in 2020. The gifts he gave Cuellar were irreplaceable.
Both families evacuated and watched their homes that were swallowed by flames through their security cameras.
The city opened the Stillwater Armory over the weekend. It has been used as a drop off and pick up location for donations for families impacted by the fires.'Many of these families are our friends,' said Brad Moore, Stillwater City Manager. 'I'm trying not to get emotional. These families are super close.'
He said the donations were what made Stillwater Strong. He said it was the community's way of helping families who were coping with a massive loss.
Some of the families KFOR spoke to said they have been able to find housing using AirBnB locations but will be displaced for several weeks in the coming months due to already planned events in Stillwater.
Many of the AirBnB reservations have already been secured for Cross Canadian Ragweed concerts in April and baseball weekends and graduations at Oklahoma State University in May. The impacted families said they would have to find a solution for those said his home could be replaced but it was what happened inside the crumbled walls of his home that were priceless.'That's probably the hardest part. The memories,' said Cuellar.
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