Tulsa World: Storm leaves family homeless just days after they moved in

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Storm leaves family homeless just days after they moved in
A small tornado tears apart their mobile home west of Prue.

Randy Booker surveys the remains Thursday of the mobile home that he and his family lived in west of Prue until Wednesday night, when it was destroyed by a small tornado. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

By JARREL WADE World Staff Writer
Published: 11/7/2008 2:15 AM
Last Modified: 11/12/2008 2:01 AM

Correction
This story incorrectly reported the relationship of Rex and Alta Slead to Randy Booker. The Sleads are not Booker’s parents.

A small tornado tears apart their mobile home west of Prue.

PRUE — A moment after Randy Booker decided to get his family back into their tornado shelter for the second wave of storms late Wednesday, it hit them: They were too late.

His wife, Becky Booker, was sucked out the back door of their trailer home into the night. The top half of the trailer followed, ripping away from the floor and landing in pieces on Becky Booker several feet away, he said.

In the same moment, the Bookers' son, Steven, 14, was pulled with the debris of their home out into the yard.

When the high winds passed, Booker dug into the rubble and pulled out his wife and son. The three made it into the shelter with only cuts and bruises, he said.

The family had moved into the Osage County home about seven miles west of Prue just a week ago. They have no insurance or income, Booker said.

"We didn't have enough time here to do any of that," he said.

Booker is not sure what he and his family will do next, but they are happy to have their lives, he said.

"God was with us," he said. "It was a miracle that we got out of there."

Booker said the three were lucky not to have gone to bed yet because he found his son's mattress in a tree 100 feet away, and his son's pillow was discovered about three blocks away.

"We still can't find my wife's purse, and everything we had got wet," he said.

Ed Calianese, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tulsa, who surveyed the scene Thursday, said the Bookers' trailer was hit by a short-lived tornado rated as an EF-0 with winds of 75 to 85 mph.

The small twister's path was only about a half-mile long, he said.

The home was between two other trailer homes, each less than 20 feet away.

One of the homes, which belongs to Booker's parents, Rex and Alta Slead, sustained some roof damage from winds.

Booker's daughter owns the other home, which had structural damage. None of the other occupants was in the homes at the time.

Booker's truck, which was parked next to their home, was damaged.

American Red Cross volunteers responded with money for food and clothing.

The Red Cross also paid for a hotel room for the family through the weekend.

"It just hit so quick," Booker said. "I just didn't think it would be us that got hit."

Jarrel Wade 581-8310
jarrel.wade@tulsaworld.com By JARREL WADE World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Taxed-2-Death, (11/7/2008 4:48:21 AM) I am always saddened by stories of those that lose their homes to a tornado. But when I only pay $12 a month for insurance, I have to wonder what was above that on his list of priorities.
	Report Comment MovedAway, (11/7/2008 6:19:57 AM) RE Taxed-2-Death's comment about $12 a month insurance and priorities. Read the story again. "They have no insurance or income." Maybe food and shelter were the priorities. Food banks, friends and families don't hand out insurance. Please don't be so quick to criticize.
	Report Comment concernedpapa, Kiefer (11/7/2008 7:32:10 AM) $12 a month for insurance? I cant cover my shed for that amount. who are you insured with taxed I may want to switch.
	Report Comment Taxed-2-Death, (11/7/2008 8:26:43 AM) As much as I don't care for many of your comments, concernedpapa, I AM a fan of my Oklahoma Farm Bureau agent.
	Report Comment chase, (11/7/2008 9:18:33 AM) taxed-2-death,guess your BUSH tax cuts are not working.
	Report Comment cosmo, TULSA (11/7/2008 9:26:29 AM) I know Randy and Becky so let me tell you about their priorities. When Becky's parents both came down with terminal illnesses, Becky and Randy put their lives on hold to come back to Tulsa to care for them. After the death of her father, Becky moved her mother into her home and cared for her until her death this year. It was well known that their son Steven could jump in there when needed to help his mother with the care of his bedridden grandmother. Add the death of their daughters fiance in a tragic fire and you have a family that has had a hard time these last couple of years. Oh, and I almost forgot about the low life that stole their truck right after they moved back and we all know that liability insurance doesn't cover theft. Becky and Randy are good people who deserve better. At least our best thoughts and wishes.
	Report Comment concernedpapa, Kiefer (11/7/2008 9:39:57 AM) thanks for the information Taxed. As you probably guessed I dont agree with many of yours, but enjoy the freedom to express our differences.
	Report Comment concernedpapa, Kiefer (11/7/2008 9:41:39 AM) cosmo Your friends sound like a nice couple on a terrible run of bad luck. Hopefully things will turn around for them soon.
	Report Comment Arwen34, Tulsa (11/7/2008 9:54:51 AM) Wow, I hope they get a run of good luck soon. Sounds so sad, but God never throws at us more than we can handle. They'll get through it shining brighter on the other side! God Bless them!
	Report Comment C.R. Delough, Tulsa (11/7/2008 11:14:14 AM) certainly hope so anonymous poster Arwen34. you certainly speak the truth Mr anonymous Arwen34.
	Report Comment C.R. Delough, Tulsa (11/7/2008 11:15:11 AM) /Thanks for posting anonymous Arwen34
	Report Comment farmgirl, (11/9/2008 12:41:51 PM) Farmgirl, Tulsa Concernedpapa, please contact me. We want to help Randy Booker in someway. Thank
	Report Comment farmgirl, (11/9/2008 12:53:10 PM) Cosmo, I addressed my comment to Concernedpapa, Sorry. I would like information. Farmgirl

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