A grieving North Carolina mom requested for prayers and thanked God for sparing her daughter after a tree crashed into her residence and killed her two sons Sunday as practically 1,500 storms swept by the Midwest, the South and elements of the Northeast over the weekend and left no less than 42 folks useless.
“We’d like prayers and to be sturdy,” the grieving Brevard mom, Sharon Leviskia, advised WSAZ3 after she recognized the our bodies of her sons Josiah, 13, and Joshua Leviskia, 11. “No less than God left us a daughter.”
Connestee Fireplace Chief Chase Owens advised WYFF4 that the Leviskia household was sleeping at residence Sunday as excessive winds blew by.
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“We had been dispatched to a tree which had fallen on a home. Once they arrived there, they had been met with a big oak tree that fell to the middle of a single-wide trailer. The members of the family that had been outdoors suggested that there have been two youngsters that had been trapped inside the home,” Owens mentioned.
Rescue staff who arrived on the residence in Brevard at 3:38 a.m. tried desperately to succeed in the trapped boys however by the point the tree was reduce, lifted, and stabilized round 6:30 a.m., the boys had been already useless.
“Every time they made it into that room, it was instantly obvious that the youngsters had succumbed to their accidents, and their accidents weren’t suitable with life. The tree had fallen straight over high of them there,” Owens mentioned, noting that the 2 brothers had been pronounced useless on the scene.
The boys’ father, Nathaniel Leviskia, advised WSAZ3 that he had solely been residence for about half-hour when the tree struck their residence.
“I went to the home for half-hour, and mentioned, ‘Sure, I’m achieved for the day,‘” he mentioned.
Brian Coates, with Anchor Baptist Church in Transylvania County, advised WYFF4 that he has been working with the household to evaluate their wants.
“[The family was] devastated, virtually to the purpose of probably not having the ability to perceive the whole lot that is occurred but,” he mentioned.
The tragedy in North Carolina comes simply months after Hurricane Helene introduced “biblical” flooding to the state that left scores useless together with one household that misplaced 11 members.
“When a windstorm comes by, it should mess issues up. That is all there may be to it. And this household that suffered yesterday, together with others which have suffered from this most up-to-date storm, are only a true testimony to the truth that Western North Carolina wants to stay resilient and cautious with regards to storms,” Coates mentioned.
Topher Kane, the director of bands at Brevard Center Faculty the place the brothers had been college students, remembered them as “superb college students.”
“One thing occurred that I prayed would by no means occur. It’s with a really heavy coronary heart to say that the Brevard Bands misplaced two college students to a storm associated accident this weekend. The 2 brothers had been each superb college students and each performed flute. One was in seventh grade and in one in every of my first band courses at Brevard and the opposite was a sixth grader simply beginning out,” Kane defined in a submit on social media. “There are not any phrases to specific my condolences to their household, and I solely know a minute fraction of the ache and emotions they’re going by.”
He added, “These two college students actually had been the perfect youngsters and I’m honored to have been their instructor. You by no means know when the final time you will notice a liked one, a pupil, a instructor, a buddy, a mother or father, a baby so maintain them tight and by no means miss an opportunity to make somebody’s day. “
A GoFundMe marketing campaign searching for to boost $250,000 to assist the household rebuild their destroyed residence has already surpassed greater than half of its aim.
“This household has misplaced the whole lot — their residence, a automobile, and, most painfully, their kids. No mother or father ought to ever should endure such unimaginable grief. As they attempt to decide up the items, they now face the overwhelming burden of funeral bills and the pressing want for a brand new place to dwell,” the marketing campaign’s organizer, Valinda Chandler, wrote. “We’re asking in your assist to supply this household with the assist they should lay their kids to relaxation and safe a secure residence. Any donation, huge or small, will make a distinction in serving to them navigate this heartbreaking time.”
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