ATLANTA — A Candler Park family is counting their blessings after a massive tree came crashing through their home during this week’s storms.
Homeowner Steven Renner described the moment the tree hit his house along Paige Avenue in stark terms.
“It’s like a bomb went off,” Renner told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter.
He said the sound was unforgettable as the storm moved through the area Tuesday night.
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“It sounded like a freight train crashing into thunder,” he said. “When it made impact, the house shook, the rooms filled with dust.”
The tree split through multiple rooms, crushed part of the roof, and left behind what Renner described as complete devastation.
Renner, his wife and their three dogs were inside the home when the tree came down, just feet away from where it tore through the structure.
“My wife and I had just settled into bed,” he said. “I was on the northern side of the house and the tree fell on the southern side.”
He added that the force of the impact was immediate and overwhelming.
After the storm passed, Renner said what waited outside was something he never expected.
“We were greeted by literally our neighborhood,” he said. “At least 25 people offering everything and anything.”
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He said the community’s response quickly became a source of stability after a chaotic night.
Despite the damage, Renner said he is focused on what was not lost.
“There’s nothing but good in this,” he said. “We’re unharmed. It damaged my neighbors. They’re fine. It missed us all.”
Renner said the tree had been evaluated by an arborist multiple times over the years, and he was never told it needed to be removed.
He said the experience is now a reminder for homeowners to take extra steps when it comes to tree safety, and to ask additional questions to protect their families.
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