Metro family of five struggling after father laid off from oil business, living with unfinished roof over their head
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – Several Oklahomans are facing a harsh reality of being out of work and struggling to get by.
A family of five in Norman was hit with burden after burden, starting with a father of three losing his job in the oil business after more than 20 years.
“We are willing to work and do anything like mow lawns or scrape gum off a table, anything for money,” Christina Thomason said.
Like so many Oklahomans, Christina Thomason and her family were blind-sided by COVID-19.
“We have been applying for unemployment every week for the last 3 weeks,” Thomason said.
And still nothing.
Her husband was laid off after spending more than two decades working in the oil field.
Plus, Christina’s business is also in the red.
She was forced to make the gut-wrenching decision to let some of her loyal employees go.
“Now other families aren’t feeding their family members because we are out of work,” Thomason said.
Now, the family of five is living paycheck to paycheck.
The family bought their dream home just outside of Norman just months before the virus hit, but with no cash to finish it, they are left living in a construction zone.
“Whenever it rains my husband has to go and stick buckets up in the attic because it will leak,” Thomason said. “It’s just hard to accept help from other people when so many people need help right now.”
The family did receive their stimulus check last week but say all the money went to purchasing roofing materials.
As for the labor, it is still up in the air.