YORKTOWN, Va. (WAVY) – A Yorktown family lost everything when Tropical Storm Michael blew through town. A large tree came crashing through their mobile home.
“I can’t even put into words what happened,” Jennifer Washington said. “It happened all so fast.”
Washington, her boyfriend and their three children — ages two, one and 2 months old — were in the home during Thursday night’s storm.
“My son was in our room playing in his pack and play,” Washington added. “I went and grabbed him and as soon as I grabbed him, not even three minutes later, the tree came crashing through our home.”
The family was able to get out unharmed, though they lost just about everything they own. The tree split the home in two.
“The next day when it was sunny and I saw the tree through our home it was really heartbreaking,” Washington said.
Washington is a server at the IHOP in Yorktown on George Washington Highway.
“We are trying to help her out,” said General Manger Evelyn Speller. “We are trying to do everything.”
Washington’s co-workers have pitched in by taking donations. They’ve also started a GoFundMe page to help the family get back on its feet.
“It’s very tough to deal with being in a hotel room,” Washington added. “This time last week we are in our home. Everything was normal.”
This family has a new normal, but they know at least that normal is together.
“We are still alive,” she said. “Even my neighbors to still have breath in their body, I’m blessed. I’m blessed that everybody was okay or that our son was not in that room or anybody in my family was not in that room when the incident happened.”