Like most Sundays, Kyle Rains spent the early evening playing with his 4-year-old son while his wife took a much-needed nap in their back room with their infant. But that serenity was shattered when a giant tree fell on the front of their Smyrna home, tearing right through the baby’s nursery.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
The Rainses are OK, but their home was badly damaged when widespread thunderstorms blew into the metro area fast and fierce Sunday during the dinner hour. In the aftermath, an Atlanta man was found dead, crushed by a massive tree.
Severe weather alerts sounded as the dangerous storms marched across the region and the evening turned prematurely dark and blustery. Cleanup efforts began as soon as the sun came up Monday after trees and limbs had fallen everywhere — on several homes, on vehicles and across one of the busiest commuting arteries in Midtown Atlanta.
One of those trees claimed the life of prominent Atlanta real estate agent George Heery Jr., the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed. Atlanta police said Heery, 55, was walking along Delmont Drive in the Garden Hills neighborhood near Buckhead Village around 6 p.m. when the tree fell on him. Its toppled-over root ball was as wide as the height of powerlines.
Heery was the son of architectural giant George Thomas Heery Sr. and worked out of the Atlanta office of Sotheby’s International Realty with his brother and business partner, Neal.
“An unspeakable tragedy has occurred (Sunday) night,” his son, Liam Heery, posted publicly to Facebook. “My father was and forever will be an incredible man. My family is incredibly grateful for all the support we have received. I love you dad. The world will not be the same without you.”
Heery’s memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at The Cathedral of Saint Philip, with reception at Child Hall afterwards.
Damage reports rolled in all day Monday from across the metro area. Georgia Power had restored service to roughly 200,000 customers by early afternoon, leaving about 1,500 across the state still without electricity.
Falling trees caught many by surprise as they enjoyed their Sunday evening. Rains said he heard a crack followed by a loud crash as the giant tree in their Smyrna front yard fell onto their 113-year-old house.
“I saw the branches in our side yard come over the house,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The father rushed to make sure his wife and 10-month-old son were OK before going to assess the damage. He initially didn’t realize the entire tree had fallen. Its massive, overturned root system was as tall as the house. Its trunk crushed the front of the home and badly damaged its roof.
Rains’ neighbors rushed over to help until members of his family arrived. The young family will be staying at Kyle’s parents’ house while they assess repairs.
“The 4-year-old was pretty upset, mainly worried about his Hot Wheels cars,” Rains said of his son. “He wanted to make sure they’re gonna be OK.”
In Kennesaw, Harold Stoudt was grilling on his deck when he heard a loud crack coming from his front yard. He quickly alerted his wife to move their grandchildren to another room, then went out the front door just in time to see a large tree splitting not far from its base. He watched helplessly as it crashed into three other trees on the way down and eventually into the side of his neighbor’s home.
Three houses away, another resident of Standing Peachtree Trail, Bill Collins, heard a thunderous noise in his backyard just moments later. That turned out to be another tree — an even bigger one — being uprooted and falling sideways. Luckily, it landed in a wooded area.
In Brookhaven, it started to rain around 6:30 p.m., catching Brian Ridenhour while he was working in his front yard. He headed inside and was sitting on his couch watching golf when he heard a light snap and then a rumble.
“Since I grew up on a farm, I am familiar with the sound of a tree falling,” Ridenhour said. “I was a good four steps from the other side of the house before I heard it hit the ground.”
Ridenhour has a degree in botany. He said the tree, a red oak, was likely more than 80 years old.
“It’s stood up to many a storm,” Ridenhour said. “It’s an act of God.”
In Midtown, a tree fell on West Peachtree Street at Spring Street, bringing down powerlines and closing the road at 17th Street. Authorities also blocked 17th Street between West Peachtree and Peachtree streets as they worked to clear the debris.
North of the city, the North Georgia Wildlife Park in Cleveland said several trees fell across its property and damaged enclosures, but all of the animals were contained and safe.
What to do if a tree falls in your yard:
- Contact your homeowners insurance agent.
- Take photos of the damage.
- If it’s in your yard, it’s your problem, even if the tree is rooted in your neighbor’s yard. But if the tree is visibly diseased or damaged, the owner might be held liable.
- Once the insurance agent gives the green light, you are responsible for hiring contractors to remove the tree.
