DeLand woman, 85, recovers after tree crushes home, trapping her inside
DeLand woman recounts surviving tree that crushed her home
An 85-year-old DeLand woman is sharing her story of survival after a massive tree collapsed onto her home, trapping her beneath debris while she was already grieving the loss of her son.
DELAND, Fla. - An 85-year-old DeLand woman is recovering after a massive tree uprooted and crashed through the roof of her home, trapping her inside under heavy timber and debris.
MaryKay Wareing says she survived the terrifying ordeal through faith, determination and the quick response of first responders. Now, she is sharing her story as she continues to recover.
Tree crashes through home without warning
What they're saying:
It was a quiet, partly cloudy September afternoon in DeLand, with no severe weather or high winds reported, when MaryKay Wareing was watching TV with a friend inside her home. Without warning, everything changed.
"First we heard like, what would be like a crack, I suppose, and then boom," Wareing said.
Continuous ground saturation caused a massive neighborhood tree to uproot, slamming onto her roof. The ceiling collapsed immediately, pinning Wareing beneath debris.
"It all came down, and the rafters came down... there was a very large piece of lumber that was coming out from where you are, and it was right over me," Wareing recalled.
Rescuers pull woman from rubble
Pinned beneath the collapsed ceiling, Wareing called for help while her friend, who was not injured, ran outside to call 911.
DeLand first responders rushed to the scene, rescued Wareing from the wreckage and transported her to the hospital as a trauma alert.
"I was bleeding terribly... every time I put my hand up to see what it was and looked down, my hand would be full of blood," Wareing said.
Faith carried her through recovery
Wareing suffered a head injury, severe cuts to both arms and extensive bruising.
Despite her injuries, she said she never felt afraid because of her faith.
"I wasn't frightened. I have a great belief in God and I knew that He would be with me always. There was a reason why I was there and why I'm here today to talk about it," she said.
Grieving her son while recovering
The accident came during an already heartbreaking time.
Wareing was mourning the death of her son, whose funeral was scheduled just one week after the tree collapsed.
Still recovering and covered in bruises, she said she was determined to attend.
"I said, ‘I will be there. I will walk out if I have to walk out,’ and I was there, and it was beautiful," Wareing said.
Looking ahead
What's next:
Two weeks after the collapse, Wareing continues to recover one day at a time.
She is expected to leave assisted living soon and move into temporary housing while repairs are completed on her home.
Despite everything she has endured, Wareing remains optimistic.
"The world is good. Bad things happen, but the world is good."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by MaryKay Wareing.