Cardiff residents say it was a ‘Christmas miracle' after no one injured when tree fell on homes
A massive tree toppled onto homes and a parked car in Cardiff on Christmas Eve after a powerful storm left significant damage but no injuries — something residents are calling a Christmas miracle.
The neighborhood is usually known for its ocean views, but Wednesday morning all eyes were on the destruction caused when a towering Torrey pine crashed down during the storm.
Shane Carpenter said the danger had crossed her mind before. “It’s always been a little bit in the back of our mind like, hey, this is dangerous,” Carpenter said.
Despite the damage, Carpenter managed to find some humor in the aftermath. “This is my Christmas tree!” Carpenter said.
The moment the tree fell, however, was terrifying for the family.
“I started seeing the earth shake, and I just knew I was like, this, is that like, this is the moment that I’m going to die by a tree, that that’s really what I thought,” Carpenter said.
“I started seeing the earth shake, and I just knew …”-Shane Carpenter, Cardiff resident
Her husband was on the deck when the tree began to fall. “I screamed, I yelled, you know, tree,” Carpenter said. “I’m just glad I was able to yell if I hadn’t yelled. I don’t know if you’d be alive today,” Carpenter said.
He was able to move out of the way just in time as the massive tree crashed down, crushing a car and damaging multiple homes. The Carpenters, who rent the property, say the damage has made the home unlivable for now. “I don’t think it’s okay long term,” Carpenter said.
Across San Diego County, the storm caused widespread damage, including a falling tree branch that killed a grandfather in City Heights, a sign that crushed cars in National City, along with power outages and flight delays.
For the Carpenters, gratitude is defining the holiday season in a new way this year. “We’re alive. That’s our Christmas miracle. Honestly, like, seriously? It is. Yeah. We didn’t win the Powerball, but this was our, version,” Carpenter said.
The family is now working through questions about insurance coverage and whether they will need to find a short-term rental. For now, they say they are simply grateful to be safe this Christmas Day.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.
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