The Chitwoods of Sulphur, Okla. know loss all too well from natural disasters."I'm in the Oklahoma Army National Guard. I returned home from a deployment to the horn of Africa," Bryce Chitwood said, recalling when he was back in his hometown in early 2024. "I was home for about two months, and then our hometown was hit with an EF-3 tornado. So it ripped right through the heart of our town, taking out most of the historic buildings and historic downtown Sulfur. We had a family business that was downtown that was completely destroyed, as well as our church had significant damage there."Bryce's older brother, Ross, has called the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles -- and specifically Community United Methodist Church -- his second home for about a decade. He's also its Director of Worship at the church."My husband and I were the first gay couple ever married in (that) Methodist church," Ross told 2 News on Jan. 12. "And it was the most beautiful, colorful, fun filled day. The whole town turned out. And there was a huge Oklahoma contingent there."The church - and its preschool - was also among the thousands of buildings razed to the ground by the Palisades Fire last week. One of the dead was a member of the church. Ross and his husband, Zach, also lost their home. Related >>> 'It's all gone' | Downtown Sulphur leveled by deadly stormsWhen asked if the Palisades Fire compared to the Sulphur tornado experience for his family, Ross flat out said no."In the tornado, you lost businesses and unfortunately, one lifeand as devastating as that is, my town is gone," he said. "There's a saying in Los Angeles: The rich live in Beverly Hills, the famous live in Malibu, and the lucky live in the Palisades. We were all just so lucky. It was the closest knit community."What keeps the Chitwood brothers pushing forward, they said, is Ross' church community as well as the community back home."I mean, I'm literally staying in a hotel room right now that my dear friend Jennifer Garner booked for me and my parents to stay in," Ross said via Zoom. "And I only bring her up because she's got a farm in Oklahoma like us."A GoFundMe for Ross and his husband has also raised almost $25,000 as of Jan. 12.Ross added an "overwhelming" amount of support has come from his native state."I can't even look at the list of names because it makes me cry," he said. "And, you know, seeing people that I went to high school with that I know are truly giving what they can. It just is so meaningful.""If there's one thing that we as Oklahomans know, it's the Oklahoma Standard," Bryce added. "We have been through so many tragedies in our state before that we understand what it's like. We understand what folks are going through."Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere -- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices. Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram SUBSCRIBE on YouTube