Oklahoma Man Transforms Tree Damaged by Ice Storm Into Statue of Liberty
Oklahoma Chainsaw Carvings
Where some people might have seen an eyesore, Randy Murphy saw a blank canvas.
After a giant tree in the front yard of his home in Moore, Oklahoma, was damaged by an ice storm in October, he chose not to remove it. Instead, he called Tom Zimmer of Oklahoma Chainsaw Carvings.
"A lot of branches growing out over the street and over the house. And with the ice, it broke off a lot of the branches," Murphy recalled to WLKY. "And it really looked kinda gnarly looking and needed some tender loving care."
At the behest of Murphy, Zimmer turned the mangled trunk into a patriotic sculpture for all to see.
Murphy described his soaring, wooden replica of the State of Liberty to WLKY. "You know, the flame shining bright. A beacon for all to see."
Lady Liberty was a meaningful choice for Murphy.
"I'm a naturalized citizen," he told the local news station. "Coming to America means a lot to me. And I just thought that after what we went through last year, it's really still a unifying thing."
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Murphy said he hopes it will inspire those who see it for a long time.
"A lot of people stop and really like it," he noted. "Haven't heard from anybody who didn't agree with it."
