DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Firefighters said Katie Speed narrowly escaped serious injury, or even death, when a tree fell through her house earlier this week.
The 89-year-old woman was trapped inside her bedroom, and emergency crews had to break her out.
“If it weren’t for the grace of God, he allowed me to be here today,” Speed said.
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She gave credit to her faith for keeping her alive. Her home on Fulton Street she lived in for over 50 years is now covered with a tarp, and the tree that almost killed her is still laying inside.
“I was just waking up, and all of a sudden, I heard this bang,” she said.
The big oak tree in her front yard rotted out and came crashing through her roof right above her into the bedroom Tuesday morning.
“I thought it had killed me,” Speed said.
She rolled off the bed just in time, but she was trapped.
“I hollered so loud my neighbors across the street came over and tried to get me out, but they couldn’t get me out,” she said.
Daytona Beach firefighters were eventually able to get her out and take her to the hospital.
Now, she has bruises up and scratches up her leg but said the memory is worse.
“I can’t sleep. I was so traumatized. I don’t know what happened. As time goes by — thank God. I could have been dead,” she said.
Speed said she’s blessed to be alive and surrounded by her relatives and Fulton street neighbors who rushed to her side. From here, she said, she’ll be taking it with her faith one day at a time.
“You never know. He got me here. Here I am, here I am,” Speed said.
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