WEST TULSA, Okla — Lou Oliver expected to spend this Thanksgiving celebrating paying off her mortgage. After decades of hard work, she paid it off at the end of October.
Instead, she's sifting through her home's ashes. It took just minutes the night of Nov 15 for flames to incinerate nearly everything inside and out. The flames sparked by a heat lamp the family left on the porch to keep their pets warm.
Oliver is grateful her grandson woke up and safely got the family out.
She contacted 2 News wanting to make sure others didn't make a crucial mistake that cost her nearly everything she owns and the house where she raised her three kids, three grand kids and one great-grandchild.
Previous coverage > > >
She said. "My insurance on the house was up in October and my insurance on my car was up in November so I thought I'll just bundle 'em all together at the end of November - big mistake!"
Right in the middle of that one month when the insurance lapsed, her home went up in flames, and along with a Christmas tradition.
"The grand kids loved my nutcrackers. Every year they say, "Gigi, are you going to put up your nutcrackers?" And I said, "don't I always?"
The day before the fire, she started putting up her beloved Christmas decorations, including her cherished nutcracker collection. Now, all that's left is a melted tree, scorched decorations, and charred nutcrackers on what's left of the mantle. The nutcrackers too burned to salvage.
When Jeff Middendorf saw Oliver's story, he suddenly knew what to do with his late wife's collection. They were married 46 years. He told 2 News she loved her nutcrackers. She started collecting them when their daughter danced in the Nutcracker Ballet as a child.
"I was watching the news, said Middendorf to Oliver, "I saw how bad your house was burned and all the nutcrackers. And my wife loved to put out nutcrackers every Christmas, and just soon as I saw 'em, I said, this would be a good home - for you to take them and enjoy them."
The gift left Oliver momentarily speechless, then after giving Middendorf a heartfelt hug she said, "Thank you so much. I appreciate it and they will go on my mantle and it will be a start of a new Christmas tradition in my home with these new for me nutcrackers."
This Christmas, the nutcrackers and Lou will be at her daughter's home where she intends to proudly display this very special gift.
If you would like to help the Oliver family, click here.
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter