00:00So Jen was my step mom and I've known her for probably about 10 years.
00:06And we were pretty close and she was a good woman.
00:09She was a wonderful mom and I mean, she was a believer.
00:14So hopefully we'll see her in heaven with Jesus again one day.
00:19And we're trying not to let away on her shoulders too much.
00:22Keep us from doing what we have to do.
00:24Do you mind if you can explaining to me what happened last night?
00:29Were you home?
00:30Did you happen to be home?
00:31So I wasn't here.
00:32It was me and my other side of the family.
00:36And we were over in Cantonment off a nine mile and we got the call.
00:40It was probably about 830.
00:41My dad called me and he was really in shock.
00:44And when he was telling me what happened, you know, the tree fell.
00:48And as you can see, the whole backside of the house is crushed and you can't really see
00:52it from here.
00:53But we're in the process of cleaning it up, but it fell and it fell directly on her.
00:59And the authorities had to come around the backside and pull her out.
01:04And it got my dad too and it busted his knees pretty good.
01:08So, but other than that, everything is good besides that damage.
01:13How did you end up hearing that she had passed?
01:17So, my mom was on the phone with my sister and then my mom was relaying that information
01:23over to me when I found out.
01:24And that was 830 last night in the thick of the storm.
01:28So.
01:29So.
01:29To find out that information, what went through your head?
01:35I mean, I can't imagine getting a phone call like that.
01:42I think I was so blown away at first, it was hard to believe.
01:48Because it kind of feels like a movie scene.
01:51And it's just so crazy, it's kind of hard to wrap your head around.
01:54And it really wasn't until I got here where I really started to process it even more.
01:58And when I really went around back and took it all in.
02:03And, you know, with the authorities having to drag her out from being squished under a
02:08tree and they had to jack up the tree.
02:09And, I mean, she was, and so thinking about that and how it all went down was definitely
02:15pretty hard.
02:16And I'm just trying to deal with it the best I can.
02:19Knowing that she passed in a way, you know, in a hurricane, you know, we know that this
02:26can happen.
02:27But there was a smaller amount of deaths in this hurricane.
02:33But I think a lot of people, at least over the last 24 hours, the conversation I've been
02:38hearing is, well, it only takes one instance for something like this to happen.
02:44And, unfortunately, it happened to your stepmom.
02:46I mean, does it make you look at severe weather potentially differently now?
02:55You know, that's a good question.
02:58I don't think so.
02:59Because I think being here, and for me being born and raised in Florida, we always have
03:04to be ready.
03:06And, I would be lying if I told you what happened was surprising, but just as much as it is
03:12heartbreaking.
03:15And, it sucks.
03:18And that's really what it is.
03:22How is your family processing now?
03:24I mean, it seems like you guys are trying to clean up, obviously, the mess.
03:28Yeah.
03:29My mom took it pretty hard.
03:31My dad's definitely heartbroken.
03:35And, my sister didn't take it that good either.
03:41And, really, some people took it harder than others, but I think we're all trying to deal
03:46with it in our own way the best we can.
03:48What do you want people to know about your stepmom?
03:53That she believed in Jesus.
03:56And, that she was a good, hard-working woman.
04:01Who had a big heart.
04:04And, she was a wonderful mom.
04:07Somebody who could really talk to you and give you a good pep talk and help you to feel
04:11better in bad situations.
