One year later: Mayes County family reflects on deadly Memorial Day tornado

Last Memorial Day, the Lee family’s land in Mayes County was unrecognizable. Amber Lee stood among the debris, trying to grasp how quickly everything had changed.

“It doesn’t seem real, not at all,” she said at the time.

The tornado that tore through the area claimed the lives of Linda Lee and Tawna Lee (Doran). Adam Lee—Amber's relative through marriage—was living on the property with his mother Linda, wife Tawna, and their three children when the storm hit. The family tried to reach their storm shelter, but they never made it to safety.

Adam and his three children survived but sustained serious injuries. The home was destroyed.

“His cousin called me and said that the whole house was gone. That everything was gone,” Amber recalled.

Today, only the storm shelter remains on the property.

“A lot of good memories... yeah, yeah it did,” she said, reflecting on the past year.

The family has decided to sell the land. While the decision is emotional, Amber says it’s time to let go.

“It’s not the same, no,” she added.

Adam and his children never returned to the site. Still processing the trauma of that day, Adam has chosen not to speak publicly about the experience. He and the children have since moved out of state and are doing well physically.

Adam remembers both Tawna and Linda as strong, selfless women who dedicated their lives to their family and helping others.

For the Lee family, tornado season now brings an emotional weight it never did before. The memory of that day—and the loved ones lost—still lingers.