Dear Editor: This letter comes from the deepest part of us to thank all of you who came to our aid recently, reflecting the true culture and fabric that defines Sitka: selflessness, immediacy, and compassion.
At roughly 2 a.m. on a stormy Halloween morning, a 122-foot Sitka spruce-eagle nesting tree weighing 45 tons broke off at its base in a 60-mph gust of wind, and fell at 60 mph in 3 seconds utterly destroying our house. AI physics calculations tell us that the impact force was 24.5 million pounds or the equivalent explosion force of 15 sticks of dynamite sending seismic shock waves felt in our neighborhood and waking up dogs. Fortunately, Amy was out of town and I heard the tree breaking and was able to drop on the floor before it crashed diagonally through our bed and the rest of the house.
Our neighborhood, some feeling the tree’s impact and others hearing my cries for help, came in the dark night, their headlamps bobbing like lanterns of hope as I was stranded and naked on our upstairs porch having crawled out a window and under the tree. I apologize for my colorful language in asking for a pair of pants and a coat and help with a ladder I had on the deck to get me down. I will never forget this event or the night when fellow Sitkans came to my rescue, even in the face of a dangerous situation, and all these days since when you have provided Amy and me with such heroic help, food, hugs, advice, and mostly, love.
It is truly the only way Amy and I are still standing and making our way through this trauma.
Our hearts thank you and if we don’t have a name or if we have missed somebody, you know who you are and we know you were there for us. Thank you to:
First on the scene neighbors: Bonnie Jarvill, Billy Grant, Jenny Grant, Evan Grant, Mike Daily, Paige Bernhardt, Bill and Nancy LeClerc-Davidson, Chris Combs, Riley Bernhardt and Gary Bernhardt
First Responders: Lance Ewers (police), Richard Meunier (police) Mitchell Feske (firefighter), Michael DeBell (firefighter), David Johnson and Sitka EMS crew
Morning of and days after: Roger Schmidt, Davey Lubin, Rich Doland, Marshall Albertson and the incredible crew of Absolute Tree Care, Rebecca Himschoot, Ella Lubin, Tyler Case, Troy Bayne, Gordy Hall, Jay Kendall, Drake Skaggs, Steve Clayton, Lisa Busch, Blain and Monique Anderson, Cleo and Scott Brylinsky, Eric Dow, the Calvin Family and Fisherman’s Quay, James Poulson, John Murray, Kent Barkhau, Rob Woolsey and Lois Verbaan, Dwayne Albertson, Peter Apathy, Liz McKenzie, Brian McNitt and Brandie Cheatham, Braydon Case and Dan, Ernie Eggleston, Randy Ferguson, Tori O’Connell, Mary Goddard, Debbie Miller, Mary Beth Nelson, Riley Whitson, Bob Himschoot, Danny Ryan, Wendy Alderson, Bryce Shivers, Josh Houston, Pat and Amber Swedeen along with CBS staff.
We love Sitka even more and we didn’t think that was possible.
We aren’t leaving. We will rebuild. If you see us, let us thank you in person if we haven’t already.
Sam Skaggs and Amy Volz, Sitka
