DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – Powerful storms ripped through parts of Southeast Michigan Saturday afternoon, leaving a path of downed trees and sending one massive tree crashing through the roof of a family home in Dearborn Heights.
The wind gusts split a tree outside the home of Christine Duncan in two, sending it through her house.
“I was in the family room,” Duncan said. “I got up to look out the window, I came in the kitchen to tell my husband something’s going on, and the tree came crashing down.”
The incident nearly injured her son, who was in his bedroom when the tree split and crashed through the ceiling.
“The ceiling hit him in the head, and he saw the tree,” Duncan said.
Fortunately, her family all made it out without any serious injuries.
The storm tore through areas like Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, splitting trees and scattering branches.
“My neighbor just had a whole tree on his car, so we helped him move the tree,” said Dearborn resident Abbas Hachem. “We’re like one family here.”
In Plymouth, a massive oak tree split outside the home of Kevin Smith, coming down in his yard and barely missing his house.
“Very thankful,” Smith said. “I’m thanking God right now because it came within twelve inches of my house.”
Duncan is now trying to figure out the next steps, as her home of 28 years is too unstable for her to re-enter.
“Numb. Just numb. I don’t know what we’re going to do right now,” Duncan said. “It’s all of our memories. Just one day at a time.”