An elderly South Carolina couple died hugging each other after Hurricane Helene sent a giant tree crashing through their bedroom, according to a report.
John Savage was home with his grandparents Marcia, 74, and Jerry, 78, during Hurricane Helene. As the winds sent branches snapping outside the house, Savage said he went up to his grandparents' bedroom to check on them, according to The Associated Press.
"They were both fine, the dog was fine," Savage recounted to the outlet. Until suddenly, Savage said a large "boom" sent one of the largest trees on their Beech Island property crashing through his grandparents' bedroom.
"All you could see was ceiling and tree," Savage told AP. "I was just going through sheer panic at that point."
Marcia and Jerry were killed in the incident, and Savage said they were found embracing each other on the bed. He told AP that it was "God's plan" to take them out together rather than to let one suffer without the other.
"When they pulled them out of there, my grandpa apparently heard the tree snap beforehand and rolled over to try and protect my grandmother," he told AP.
Jerry worked as a carpenter and electrician, as John told the outlet he was a hard worker who went "in and out of retirement because he got bored." Marcia was a retired bank teller who loved to sing and was very active at their church, their grandchild Katherine Savage told AP.
"They loved each other to their dying day," John Savage told the outlet.
A Gofundme has been set up to cover the couple's funeral expenses, which has raised more than $3,000 as of Thursday.
Marcia and Jerry Savage are among more than 150 confirmed deaths due to Hurricane Helene, which is being referred to as one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history.
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