TULSA, Okla.
— In the midst of the hurricane season, the home and garden of a family in Tulsa was filled with visitors.
They saw a familiar face, a familiar color.
A smiling family, welcoming the arrival of a new family member.
For two weeks, they watched as a young girl was shot in the head and left for dead on an Oklahoma beach.
The bullet missed her, but hit her sister, a 6-year-old boy, and her grandparents, all in their 70s.
When they came to, they were greeted by a young, smiling mother holding a newborn girl in her arms.
“I can’t believe I just got shot.
I was just so happy,” said Shannon Kann, the mother of Shannon Kanna, who was shot and killed on Sept. 16.
The bullet struck the family’s home, leaving a hole in its floor and door.
The family is now rebuilding their home with help from friends and family.
After a lengthy search, Shannon’s grandparents found her lifeless body a week later.
She was a single mother of four who had just returned from an extended trip to Thailand.
Shannon had traveled to Thailand because she loved the country, but she was also trying to support her family and was working toward an advanced degree in public health.
She loved going to school, visiting the local library and visiting the park with her grandmother.
But on Sept 24, Shannon was shot.
Her father, Richard Kann said, had just turned 30, but was still living the American dream.
He was working at a grocery store and was looking for a job.
He was married and had a daughter, Shannon.
His wife, Diane, was also a nurse.
Richard Kann and his wife Diane had just moved from Texas to Tulsa for a year.
They wanted to stay in Tulsa, but couldn’t afford the rent and could not afford the cost of the house, he said.
The Kanns had a long-term dream to buy their first home.
So, they had put down a $200,000 down payment.
As the summer sun set, the Kann’s thought about the new place they would move to.
This was their future.
So they called a friend who worked at a local real estate company and told them to buy the property for $250,000.
By then, the couple had invested in an investment bank and were preparing for the sale.
The real estate agent said he would try to negotiate the price for the home, but the Kans were skeptical.
In a statement, Tulsa-based Realtor.com said the house was worth between $150,000 and $250: a two-story home in a nice part of town with lots of amenities.
One of the most valuable features of the property was the pool, the company said.
It was about 30 minutes from the family home.
It was about 10 minutes from downtown.
And it was right next door to a playground, the Realtors statement said.
The house was also near the airport, and the Kanna’s father had just flown in from California.
While they had a home, the family had no idea what to do with it.
What they did know was that they would soon have to move.
On Monday, Sept. 30, the next morning, the two families were on the beach at the popular Oklahoma Beach in Tulsa.
The Kann family had gone for a swim, and Shannon’s sister, 8-year old Lorna, and mother, Diane Kann watched them go.
They watched them make their way down the beach and then go back up.
At the end of the walk, the little girl walked down the sand toward the family.
She saw the family holding her and said, “I love them.”
After the girl returned, Shannon went down to the family to thank them for coming.
She said, she loves them too.
“I’m going to take you to your house,” Shannon said.
“I’ll make sure you get a new one.
I’m going.”
After they got back to their house, they saw the girl sitting on the driveway, holding Shannon’s hand.
Then Shannon turned around and walked away, her sister and mother following her.
The girl was not hurt, and police did not charge Shannon with murder.
The case was not considered homicide at the time, and there was no criminal investigation.
There was an emotional moment for the family when police arrived, Richard said.
They were stunned.
They thought she was lying there and they thought it was all a mistake.
Now, Shannon has a new home, a new job, and a new lease on life.
Follow AP national correspondent Elizabeth Landau on Twitter: @ELizabethLandau.