CHARLOTTE — A family of five is searching for new housing after falling trees caused extensive damage to their east Charlotte home during a severe thunderstorm last Friday.
Mike and Paige Karson were inside the house with their three children when the trees came down, but no family members were injured.
The incident occurred as the storm moved through the area while the Karsons were wrapping up outdoor chores.
After heading indoors, one of the couple’s children saw a tree crash directly through the roof of the home.
The family said they were outside finishing chores last Friday before an approaching thunderstorm reached their property. The calm weather quickly turned hazardous as the storm moved in.
Mike recalled watching the trees fall from inside the building. “We could see those, kind of the tree behind our neighbor’s house snap, and we were watching from the window, and you could see a like a wave coming at us,” Mike explained.
The falling trees severely damaged the front of the home and completely crushed a chicken coop in the backyard.
All but one of the family’s chickens survived the collapse, and their dog and two kittens were also uninjured.
Since the storm, the family has stayed in local hotels and with neighbors while looking for new housing.
Despite the displacement, the parents focused on maintaining a routine for their three children, including getting them to their first day of school. “It was challenging, but they made it,” Mike said.
Neighbors have stepped in to support the family throughout the week. One neighbor offered the Karsons the use of their home for several days while away on vacation.
Mike expressed gratitude for the community support and his family’s safety. “We’re really lucky that all of our kids are healthy, that our family is healthy and uninjured, that our pets are safe and we’ve got all these amazing people trying to take care of us,” he expressed.
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