SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — A Snohomish County family said they just want to catch a break after a tree fell on their home during Tuesday’s bomb cyclone, which is the second time in two years this has happened to them. The first time was during a massive storm in November 2022.
The family was supposed to move back into their newly rebuilt home after the holidays, but because of the massive tree through their roof, they had to restart the building process again.
Sherri Radabaugh said the 2022 tree fall happened when she was living in the home with her dad. It fell from their neighbor’s yard right into her room and onto her bed, pinning her under the branches and roofing.
“When the first tree fell, it fell on me. My dad and neighbors had to rescue me from under it, 911 was so busy they couldn’t get to us,” Radabaugh said.
Now two years and a partial rebuild later, it happened again, this time thankfully, with nobody inside.
“Me and my dad walked up the hill just to check on the house and saw the tree, we both just stood there and started crying,” Radabaugh said.
This time the 60-foot evergreen tree took out the home, tool shed and retaining wall.
“We are tired of not having a home,” Radabaugh said. “We’ve been living in a hotel and an Airbnb just waiting for this to get rebuilt.”
The family said this has caused a new nagging fear that the rest of the giant trees in the backyard could also come down. Michael Robinson, Sheri’s father who owns the home, said he can’t cut the trees down because they are owned by the state.
Robinson said the state only cuts down trees if they are diseased. Otherwise, the hope is that this disaster can’t and won’t happen a third time.
“We don’t get many storms that come from the east but when we do, they’re dillies,” Robinson said.
Robinson said once the insurance adjusters come by to assess the damage, the contractors will start the rebuilding process all over. The family is forced to live in hotels for at least five months.
There is a GoFundMe started by Sheri’s husband, Chris, to try to recoup the costs of the damage and the lost tools in the battered toolshed. To donate, click here.
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