“The community here is amazing”: Family finds keepsakes in demolished home

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    SAGINAW, Michigan (WJRT) — Emotions running high as a Saginaw family loses its home after Saturday’s wind storm, but family treasures are recovered in the damage.

That home on Genesee was deemed to be a danger after a tree crashed into the roof and the city had the house demolished.

The woman who lived there and her sister didn’t agree with how that demolition was handled.

The woman and her two children were staying at a hotel for a birthday celebration when the tree hit their home.

Two dogs were in the home, but they are ok.

Before the house was knocked down, firefighters were able to grab some of the family’s belongings and today more were recovered.

“I was shocked,” says Renee of Saginaw when saw her sister’s home.

This photo shows the tree right on top of the house on Genesee on Saginaw’s west side. It came crashing down at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

“When they (emergency responders) got here, it was immediately, no you can’t go in,” she says.

Firefighters were able to get some items, including the ashes of the family’s deceased parents.

Renee, who did not want to use her last name, says this was her sister’s home.

Her sister Jessica was in the process of buying the home on a land contract and had no insurance and neither did the person she was buying the home from. She says a city official gave her sister options.

“You can come up with 50 to 80 thousand dollars to secure the home, or we will doze it down. She turned and looked at me and said, what we are going to do, I can’t afford that,” Renee said.

Within hours, the home was demolished.

“She wasn’t given time to process anything, no one showed any compassion,” says Renee.

City officials say they have empathy for the family, but were concerned someone would get inside the structure. As you can see in the photo, the cracked tree was also over the sidewalk. They say they will work with the family on the cost of the demolition and the clean-up.

Good Samaritans have already started on that clean-up.

“Put out the call, send out the light man, and here we come,” says Alexander Griffin.

Griffin and his company C&J Handyman were looking through the rubble, especially for family photos. While we were talking to Renee, one was found.

“That’s it, oh my God,” she said.

One of the only pictures of Renee, her sister and their parents was found with a little damage.

“Any bit of light we can shine in a dark time, its beautiful,” says Griffin.

“At the end of the day, the community here is amazing,” says Renee.

A gofundme page has been started to help the family. The city plans on cutting down two other trees near that home that pose a threat to other houses in that area.

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