(Savannah, Georgia) -- After Hurricane Helene swept through Savannah, Georgia, restaurant owner William LaFlower called to check on his friends, Tamika and Romie. He was shocked and happy to find out what they'd survived.
Rather hear William tell the story?
During Helene, a huge tree fell through Tamika and Romie's home as they slept.
William describes it: "One of the biggest pine trees I've ever seen. I mean you, me, our entire family could try to wrap ourselves around that tree and we still wouldn't make it fully around. The thing was gigantic and it came crashing straight through their bedroom while they were asleep with their kids and their three dogs were in bed with them and it killed one of their dogs."
Tamika and Romie are believers and say that "that dog really saved their lives" because it prevented the tree from rolling on another family member.
William goes on to say that, "The tree wacked my friend Romie into the wall. He got up and noticed that the tree was right on top of his family and the adrenaline kicks in and he had to pick that tree up and move it. When you look at it now, it looks like a bomb went off in their house."
Romie and Tamika are alive, along with their children and the other dogs.
Praise God.
"A couple weekends ago, we took a ton of food from Bandana Burgers and just made free burgers for the community, free fries, free wings and whoever came in, we just gave them free food. We didn't ask for anything, just told their story (Tamika and Romie's) and told some other stories of things going on here in Savannah, and the community showed up. They got their food and they donated and they tipped and a good portion of that money went to Tamika and Romie. I'm about to give...to a local dog shelter here in town called Renegade Paws."
"Just showing up for them and being able to build up a relationship with them is the biggest thing that's come out of this tragedy," William shares.