Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LAYTON — A Layton family is grateful that no one was hurt when a giant willow tree crashed to the ground at their home Wednesday and narrowly missed the homeowner's grandson.
The heavy snow brought down the tree, and it was all caught on doorbell video.
Homeowner Jimmy McBride said the tree was there when the pioneers settled the area. He's not sure how old it is, but the trunk is about 4 feet thick.
Just moments before the tree fell, McBride's 17-year-old grandson, Raiden Hansen, was shoveling snow just next to the tree.
"I heard cracking. I looked behind myself, saw a tree was falling and I just ran," Hansen said. "Like if I didn't move, I could have gotten crushed."
"You notice (on) the video, he walks under the tree and goes to the side and then turns around and comes back," McBride said. "And just as he clears that side of the tree, I think he heard the snapping start."
The tree missed Hansen by just about 10 feet.
McBride said the tree actually fell away from his grandson. He believes it was because of its long, twisted trunk.
"And I think that's why the tree turned, and it turned away from him. I think there were a few angels on that tree at that time," McBride said.
Unfortunately, part of it landed on his daughter's car.
Rachel Hansen said, "It shook the house and bam! It just fell really fast. I came outside and saw that the tree was pretty much laying on my car and the damage is pretty significant. The back window is shattered, the side window is shattered."
She said it also destroyed one of the wheel wells of her newly-purchased car.
Right now, the family is waiting for insurance adjusters to assess the damage. They said neighbors are waiting to help clean it up.
