Laramie County residents deal with aftermath of weekend tornadoes

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, WY)

May 30--CHEYENNE -- Chad Gifford immediately called his dad, Jack Gifford, when he saw the National Weather Service alert on his phone.

"I am a claims adjuster, and I was working at a storm that hit Lubbock, Texas, when my app started going off," he said. "My dad was home with the dogs. I told him there is a tornado warning in Laramie County and to find the safest place in the house."

But the call was cut short.

"My dad just started shouting, 'I gotta go, I gotta go,'" he said. "And he never hung up the phone, so I could hear him taking the dogs downstairs and all the commotion in the background."

Jack Gifford, 63, led his Siberian huskies, Bo and River, by the collar and scrambled to the basement, seeking shelter in a closet below the home's staircase. "When he called back, he told me the roof was gone," Chad Gifford said. "Within minutes, he began yelling again, and this time the line went dead. It turns out our home was hit twice by the same cell, and most of the damage happened during that second hit."

Jack Gifford said he knew to seek shelter when a nearby telephone pole snapped in half before his eyes.

The family's home was one of eight northwest Laramie County properties that sustained significant damage during an EF2 tornado Sunday afternoon. The storm hit hardest on Mountain Shadow Lane near Federal and Horse Creek Road, with winds reaching estimated speeds of up to 135 miles per hour and producing tens of thousands of dollars in property damage.

Two more tornadoes were reported in the area, but caused no damage.

While no people were injured during the storm, resident J.D. Land's horse was lifted and carried several blocks.

"He survived, but he is pretty beat up," he said. "He has a cut on his chest, his back leg was cut and the side of his head was injured. He was shaken up really bad. My chicken coop is also gone, and we have three dead chickens."

The Gifford home is now completely leveled, with thick layers of damp insulation coating furniture, family heirlooms and antiques. Pieces of the home's green roof now line the dirt road leading to the property.

"It is a total loss property-wise," Chad Gifford said. "We are waiting on our insurance to make the final decision so we can begin the rebuilding process, which will realistically take six to eight months."

For now, the family is living in a local hotel, paid for by their insurance company.

"We lost everything," he said. "My dad only had the clothes on his back when he left. Luckily, the Red Cross gave us a Walmart gift card for basics."

The family said much of what they lost is replaceable, but the few keepsakes found intact in the rubble are more meaningful now.

One such item retrieved Tuesday is a bottle of wine from Luther, Oklahoma-based Tres Suenos Winery.

"My wife and I got married at that vineyard, and this bottle is from our wedding," Chad Gifford said. "This was the last bottle we had left."

As Oklahoma natives, both Jack and Chad Gifford knew exactly how to react in the event of a tornado, but took issue with limited sirens near Federal.

"There are no alerts out here," Chad Gifford said. "I am used to an advanced warning system in place. Luckily, I had that app on my phone."

According to the Laramie County Emergency Management Agency, the closest siren to their home is at Horse Creek Road and Roundtop Road. Siren wails travel approximately 1 mile.

Chad Gifford and his wife purchased the home in 2016, moving from Oklahoma to pursue dreams of a slower pace of life in the mountains.

"We will absolutely rebuild and stay in Cheyenne," he said. "In high school, my family went on a big road trip to Yellowstone National Park. It was my first time in the mountains, and I fell in love with it. We want to continue to be part of the community."

In addition to help from the American Red Cross, neighbors and friends are coming together to assist in the cleanup effort.

"I am a retired nurse from central Kansas, where tornadoes are a dime a dozen," Mary Simmons said. "I think we need to turn out and help each other during these times, because it could easily be you."

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