The terrible storm, Hurricane Helene, tore a path from Florida up through the Carolinas and left a lot of destruction and loss of life in its wake. This included the father of four who died when a tree fell on his home.
Tony Taylor was with his family in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 27. As hurricane Helene blew through the area, it caused the tree to fall on the home and killed him. The rest of the family did survive but they are grieving the loss.
At approximately 5:11 a.m., Charlotte Fire responded to an emergency on the 4200 block of Brookway Drive, where a tree had fallen onto a home, trapping two people inside. One person was rescued and transported to a nearby hospital. Tragically, the other person was found deceased.…
— Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) September 27, 2024
According to a post from the Charlotte Fire Department, crews responded just after 5 AM to the home after receiving the reports of a fallen tree. The rest of the family was outside but two people were trapped in the home. The fire department worked tirelessly to rescue them but Taylor died as a result of the accident.
The fire department reported: “The minor children in the home were not physically harmed. Charlotte Fire remained on the scene for about an hour.”
Other family members set up a fundraising page for the family. They also said that the tree belonged to a neighbor, saying: “For some time, we had been trying to get the tree removed, but since it wasn’t on our property, there was little we could do. Now, we are left not only to mourn the loss of a man whose smile could light up any room but also to support his grieving family through this incredibly difficult time.”
The fundraiser has surpassed its original $10,000 goal and has received about $15,000 in donations.