RIVER RIDGE, La. — Governor Jeff Landry declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday after severe weather battered Southeast Louisiana last week.
On Thursday night, life and the ceiling came crashing down around the Cuthbert family.
“I was sleeping on this side, I heard a pop, it came down,” Chris Cuthbert said.
Just after 11 o’clock, a tree fell through their roof in River Ridge.
“Every time I come, it’s like reliving it over and over again,” Jami Cuthbert said.
Already living paycheck to paycheck overnight, the storm left the family of five homeless and their memories in trash bags by the street.
“Economically, we feel like we’re just one step away from living under a bridge,” Chris said.
With hurricane season just around the corner, it’s probably a good idea to check out the trees in your own backyard. The experts say if you look closely, you can find out if you have an unhealthy tree.
“When a professional looked at it, he immediately knew it was termites,” Jami said.
Last summer, we spoke with tree expert Bernie Wisnowski, and he said it’s important to look out for red flags. Fungi, mushroom caps, and holes are all signs that a tree may be decaying and need to be removed.
“That means that there’s been some sort of damage to the tree,” Arborist Bernie Wisnowski said. “That particular part of the tree is more than likely holding water.”
If it’s holding water, there could be a termite problem.
“These are also the trees that you generally find very large Formosan termite colonies in,” Wisnowski said.
Now, the Cuthbert family is split up, living with different friends and family, when all they want is to be back together, under one roof.
The Cuthbert’s landlord started a GoFundMe for the tenants. He says every dime will go to the family. If you’re interested in helping the Cuthberts, click here.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.