A grieving North Carolina mother asked for prayers and thanked God for sparing her daughter after a tree crashed into her home and killed her two sons Sunday as nearly 1,500 storms swept through the Midwest, the South and parts of the Northeast over the weekend and left at least 42 people dead.
“We need prayers and to be strong,” the grieving Brevard mother, Sharon Leviskia, told WSAZ3 after she identified the bodies of her sons Josiah, 13, and Joshua Leviskia, 11. “At least God left us a daughter.”
Connestee Fire Chief Chase Owens told WYFF4 that the Leviskia family was sleeping at home Sunday as high winds blew through.
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“We were dispatched to a tree which had fallen on a house. When they arrived there, they were met with a large oak tree that fell to the center of a single-wide trailer. The family members that were outside advised that there were two kids that were trapped inside of the house,” Owens said.
Rescue workers who arrived at the home in Brevard at 3:38 a.m. tried desperately to reach the trapped boys but by the time the tree was cut, lifted, and stabilized around 6:30 a.m., the boys were already dead.
“Whenever they made it into that room, it was immediately apparent that the children had succumbed to their injuries, and their injuries were not compatible with life. The tree had fallen directly over top of them there,” Owens said, noting that the two brothers were pronounced dead on the scene.
The boys’ father, Nathaniel Leviskia, told WSAZ3 that he had only been home for about 30 minutes when the tree struck their home.
“I went to the house for 30 minutes, and said, ‘Yes, I’m done for the day,‘” he said.
Brian Coates, with Anchor Baptist Church in Transylvania County, told WYFF4 that he has been working with the family to assess their needs.
“[The family was] devastated, almost to the point of not really being able to understand everything that’s happened yet,” he said.
The tragedy in North Carolina comes just months after Hurricane Helene brought “biblical” flooding to the state that left scores dead including one family that lost 11 members.
“When a windstorm comes through, it’s going to mess things up. That’s all there is to it. And this family that suffered yesterday, along with others that have suffered from this most recent storm, are just a true testimony to the fact that Western North Carolina needs to remain resilient and cautious when it comes to storms,” Coates said.
Topher Kane, the director of bands at Brevard Middle School where the brothers were students, remembered them as “amazing students.”
“Something happened that I prayed would never happen. It is with a very heavy heart to say that the Brevard Bands lost two students to a storm related accident this weekend. The two brothers were both amazing students and both played flute. One was in 7th grade and in one of my first band classes at Brevard and the other was a 6th grader just starting out,” Kane explained in a post on social media. “There are no words to express my condolences to their family, and I only know a minute fraction of the pain and feelings they are going through.”
He added, “These two students truly were the best kids and I am honored to have been their teacher. You never know when the last time you will see a loved one, a student, a teacher, a friend, a parent, a child so hold them tight and never miss a chance to make someone’s day. “
A GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $250,000 to help the family rebuild their destroyed home has already surpassed more than half of its goal.
“This family has lost everything — their home, a vehicle, and, most painfully, their children. No parent should ever have to endure such unimaginable grief. As they try to pick up the pieces, they now face the overwhelming burden of funeral expenses and the urgent need for a new place to live,” the campaign’s organizer, Valinda Chandler, wrote. “We are asking for your help to provide this family with the support they need to lay their children to rest and secure a safe home. Any donation, big or small, will make a difference in helping them navigate this heartbreaking time.”
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