HASKELL, Okla. — The family of two men who drowned in floodwaters in Haskell is speaking out about their tremendous loss.
Nina Turner said she never could have imagined spending the holidays without her Uncle Lloyd, known as Mike to friends and family, and her cousin, William.
She says on Nov. 8, her cousin Jessica went to pick up her brother William and then went to get some groceries.
When they returned home, they saw a large log across the bridge, and the water was rising fast.
Nina says her uncle Mike went down to meet them and help them across.
“She turned back around really fast because she heard her dad yell William’s name. When she turned, William had fallen and, so, he was on his knees next to the edge of the bridge. She said that he looked dazed and like half of him was wet, and we don’t know what happened if he hit his head if he tripped,” said Turner.
Both Jessica and Mike reached to help Wiliam out of the water.
Somehow, they lost their footing and fell in.
“She said she was under the water for a bit, and she thought she was going to drown, and she felt someone grab her shoulder, and it was William, and he pulled her over to a log,” said Turner.
At one point, Nina said Jessica got dragged under again, and when she resurfaced, both her brother and father were gone.
“She got free, and she was yelling for them. She ran for help and knocked on some neighbors' doors because her phone was soaked and ruined,” said Turner.
After a desperate search, the bodies of the two men were found the next day.
William was about 100 yards away from the bridge, and Mike was discovered further down in a field.
As this family deals with their incredible loss, Nina set up a gofundme to help them with the cost of two funerals.
If you feel led to donate, click here.
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