SPRING VALLEY, Calif. (KGTV) — Three weeks after strong winds sent two large tree branches crashing into a Spring Valley home, nearly injuring a couple inside, ABC 10News viewers have stepped up to help the displaced family.
Jean Paula-Erwin says she's still struggling weeks after the terrifying incident on Christmas Eve.
"I relive it every day in my mind," an emotional Erwin said.
Late that morning, her husband, Kenneth, was outside picking up wind-blown trash bins when disaster struck.
"I hear a crash. The house shakes. The awning, a foot away from me, comes tumbling down," Kenneth said.
Inside, at the top of the stairs, was Erwin.
"After I heard the bang, I turned to duck, and I look up, and there's a branch aimed at me," Erwin said.
About a foot away was a tree branch jutting through her ceiling. Two branches from a tree, some 70 feet tall, had crashed into the home. One destroyed the awning, protruding into the living room. A bigger branch fell onto the roof and into the master bedroom and bathroom, coming within a foot of Erwin.
"Despair, shock. Didn’t even know what happened," Erwin said.
Remarkably, Erwin was not injured. The couple's 14-year-old daughter was not home at the time.
Erwin says the tree damage spread asbestos throughout their rented home, likely making it a total loss when it comes to their possessions. Erwin was told by their insurer they wouldn't get much for temporary housing.
After our story aired, donations started pouring into a GoFundMe campaign set up to help the family, climbing to nearly $6,000.
"Grateful, humbled, overwhelmed. It says that people care. Times are hard for everyone. For them to care enough to give when they don't have much to give is such a blessing," Erwin said.
When asked what the donations would allow her to do, Erwin said simply, "To start over."
Erwin says her lease was terminated by her landlord. The donations will allow her family to get into a rental.
"We want a place to call our home. People's generosity and kindness going to allow us to start over,” Erwin said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
