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Falling tree splits family home in half while they sleep
A Kennesaw family escaped injury when a falling tree split their rental home in half, though asbestos contamination destroyed 99 percent of their belongings inside the house, the tenant said.
KENNESAW, Ga. - A Cobb County family is taking life day by day after waking up to a massive tree crashing directly through their roof and splitting their home in half.
While all family members escaped without injuries, the majority of their personal belongings were destroyed.
Kennesaw tree collapse
What we know:
The incident occurred a couple of weeks ago at a rental home in Kennesaw, where the family had resided for four years. Although the residents had previous concerns about the surrounding trees, the sudden collapse left the structure split in half and exposed to the elements.
Because the house contained asbestos, the collapse contaminated the interior, resulting in the loss of nearly all personal property. The family did not have renters' insurance at the time of the collapse, leaving them facing a long path to recovery.
Living room destruction
What they're saying:
Resident Kurt Jensen described the harrowing moment the tree collapsed onto his bedroom.
"I woke up to what I could only describe as a real-life nightmare," Jensen said. "I woke up and the tree was on top of me. I woke up and I saw sky, leaves, insulation all around. Branches, it just didn’t seem real."
With the structure compromised, the family's immediate focus turned to salvaging what little survived the environmental damage.
"Because there was asbestos in the house everything contaminated so 99 of the stuff is lost," Jensen said. "We are just trying to get the valuables and the stuff that can't be replaced like family stuff so that’s that."
Reflecting on the loss of their residence and the road ahead, Jensen expressed gratitude that everyone survived while processing the destruction.
"We are just trying to take it day by day. For me it just doesn’t seem real still," Jensen said. "Meant a lot to us it’s a place we lived but to have all of our stuff gone sucks."
Structural damage assessment
What we don't know:
Property owners have not confirmed whether the compromised rental home will be demolished or repaired. Officials have also not released an official estimate of the financial damage caused by the collapse.
Online recovery support
What you can do:
A family friend launched a GiveSendGo online fundraiser to assist the family with emergency relocation costs and basic living necessities.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview with resident Kurt Jensen and an online verified GiveSendGo relief campaign.