‘I just heard a big boom’: High winds topple tree onto Terrebonne home

Family of six was inside; fortunately, no one was injured

TERREBONNE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Heavy winds can often bring trouble.

Teresa Garcia has lived in her house on 7th Street in Terrebonne for more than 20 years and had a feeling where the trouble would come from.

"Kind of got me scared, and I thought of that tree right away,” Garcia said. “Because every time we had the wind, I was scared of that tree."

The noise the tree made when it came down shook the entire house.

Garcia said she heard a loud boom that sounded like a semi-truck hitting the house.

"Because that noise was really bad,” Garcia said. 

Garcia’s daughter, Teresa Toledo, was also home, with her three kids. 

"So I just heard a big boom, and it almost felt like an earthquake, Toledo said. “It was a big shake."

Both Garcia's and Toledo’s minds immediately went to the safety of the children. 

"The only thing I could think of was the kids, you know,” Garcia said. 

Toledo said, "Oh yeah, they were like, their eyes we're coming out of their head, and they were pretty scared. And of course I was scared, but I couldn't show them that -- you know, being the mom. So I was like, 'It's okay, it's okay.' But they were freaking out."

The kids had good reason to freak out.

A branch of the tree broke through the roof, landing directly on the pillow of the bunk bed where Garcia's granddaughter normally sleeps.

"Well, thank God, the kids were not there. They usually play there. So I just thank the Lord the kids were not there,” Garica said.

"And my daughter, the only thing I could hear her saying: 'My children! My children!' I don't even think she remembers saying all that, but I did."

After ensuring everyone was safe, the family is now trying their best to assess the damage.

"I didn't think it was that bad -- I thought it was maybe just a couple limbs or something. But when we came out, it was like -- oh my God, wow!” Toledo said.

Garcia says the sound will stick with her, but the damage to the house is something she can get repaired. 

"And the noise! But everything is fine."