Tulsa Woman Remembers Husband Killed In House Fire

A Tulsa woman is heartbroken after losing her home, belongings, and the love of her life.

Nora Legan was able to make it out of their burning home near North Yale and East Pine, but the fire killed her husband.

She's now living with relatives across the street from her burned home, but she's not sure how to live without her husband.

“It went so fast. He was gone so fast," said Nora.

A fire destroyed her home Monday morning, killed her husband, and robbed them of years together.

“Now my sister-in-law is taking care of me. She just moved me in with her... My son said, 'Mom, we’ve got a place for you at the house,' and she said, 'No she’s going home with me.' Thank God," said Nora.

While Nora got out safely, her husband Ricky who had dementia and used a walker and wheelchair, couldn't make it out.

"He couldn’t talk, and he didn’t really remember a lot of stuff, but he was still mine and 42 years' worth," said Nora Legan. “I met him in a bar. He was supposed to meet somebody else, and I decided he didn’t need to meet anybody else. I just didn’t think I’d ever meet anybody like him. And when I did, I just kept him.”

Nora said her husband was an Air Force veteran, was humble, and had a servant's heart.

“He wanted everybody to love him, and he wanted to love everybody, which he did. He was just a wonderful, wonderful person. Anybody that knew him knew how good he was," said Nora.

As Nora checks to see if there's anything she can save, like a necklace recovered from the ashes, she's left wondering what life will be like without him by her side.

“I feel like maybe in his heart he knew that he was getting ready to go soon but we enjoyed every minute we could together. I just loved him with all my heart," said Nora.

Tulsa firefighters went door-to-door in and around Nora's neighborhood to install free smoke detectors and check to make sure others are working.

It's something they do after every fatal fire. Firefighters stress the importance of having a working smoke detector.

"It's such a minor piece of equipment and it's a such an important lifesaving piece of equipment," said Lt. Tim Ingram, TFD.

Nora said she's very thankful for firefighters checking on her friends and neighbors.

She hopes it will help prevent them from the same heartbreak she's going through right now.