TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson couple is recovering after a weekend monsoon storm caused a massive mesquite tree to fall on their mobile home, leaving them temporarily homeless.
Zachory Pettit and his partner, Roxanne Harden, narrowly escaped serious injury when the tree crushed their home at the Shar-I-Don Mobile Home Park.
"If this had been maybe ten or twelve feet to the right, we wouldn’t be talking today... we’d be gone," Pettit said.
The impact of the tree not only damaged their home but also their vehicle, a Toyota Tundra.
"Now it belongs to the aftermath of the storm," Pettit joked.
In the aftermath, the couple has been staying in a hotel, using personal funds, and relying on support from the American Red Cross.
Courtney Slanaker, executive director for the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross explained the organization's role in such circumstances.
"We work with you in the immediate aftermath of a disaster with direct financial assistance and connecting you with a caseworker for long-term recovery plans," she said.
Pettit confirmed that the organization responded quickly in his case.
"They were here within an hour and a half," Pettit said, adding that the organization provided $640 in immediate financial assistance.
Slanaker emphasized the importance of the Red Cross in situations such as Pettit's.
"The American Red Cross is there to stand by you through some of your darkest hours when your home has been impacted," she said.
The storm not only affected Pettit and Harden, but also other families in the area. The Red Cross is currently aiding six different families impacted by the weekend’s severe weather.
As the couple navigates the challenges of temporary homelessness, they remain uncertain about their future.
"I really don't know where I'm gonna go, what I'm gonna do," Pettit said, expressing frustration with the mobile home park management’s limited response.
For more information on how to help or seek assistance, visit the Red Cross website or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
