Thursday, May 4th 2023, 10:33 pm
The people of Henryetta are leaning on each other as they continue to mourn the murders of six people.
At least eight churches in Okmulgee County helped host a vigil on Thursday.
Pastor Marcus Whitworth said he's praying for healing and wholeness for the victims' classmates, community, and families; declaring they are not going to suffer alone.
He said, "How are we gonna do it? We're gonna look up and see how big God is."
Antonia Horn may have lost her best friend, but she believes she gained a guardian angel.
"Now I have to go to school every day, I'm not gonna get to see my best friends. They're gone. I'm not gonna get to see them ever again and they're completely gone away from me. They were taken away. He was just stupid for doing it," said Antonia.
Those victims are Ivy Webster and Brittany Brewer, who went missing over the weekend, Holly McFadden, and Holly's three children, Tiffany Guess, Michael Mayo and Rylee Allen.
Investigators believe Holly's husband Jesse McFadden killed them all before killing himself.
"I was screaming, crying. I was crying to the point where I couldn't breathe. At first, I found out it was Tiffany and Michael, and then Ivy, and once it got to Brittany, I was done. I was done," said Antonia.
Antonia had known Brittany since they were toddlers and they planned to get an apartment with Ivy after high school.
"Brittany was supposed to come stay the night this weekend but she never got to," said Antonia.
"We're in a lot of pain. But we grieve, but not like those who have no hope," said Whitworth.
Whitworth with the Henryetta Ministerial Alliance said people are in shreds, but Thursday's prayer service is pointing them to hope.
"I'm either up or getting up so this town is getting up. This tragedy has given us a reason to get back together like a family," said Whitworth.
Many people are angry and confused. "I'm still barely eating. I'm barely talking to anybody. I've deleted all social medias," said Antonia.
They said they're choosing to shine the light of the Lord even on the darkest days.
"They were joyful. They were helpful every time I wanted to disappear, Brittany was there telling me, 'no you can't do that,'" said Antonia.
"There's some people that just passed me. They're in the worst kind of pain you can ever imagine. That family that just passed me, I'm not trying to be sensational. They're one of the victims' families. Could they have stayed home and licked their wounds? Sure. But no, they come down here with these crazy radical Christians, these Jesus freaks and watch what God does," said Whitworth.
Whitworth said the alliance had been inactive for five years when last week, just days before the tragedy, they decided to get back together and plan a service on the National Day of Prayer.
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