PENN HILLS, Pa. — A Penn Hills family is in desperate need of help, weeks after unprecedented storms totaled their cars and left thousands of dollars of damage.
On April 29, a huge tree from a neighbor’s yard came crashing down, crushing Cynthia Ames’ son’s car while she was still inside.
“I heard two tires pop, and the windows shattered,” Ames said.
Ames got some bumps and bruises but is lucky to be alive. She took cell phone video of the damage right after narrowly escaping death. The car was buried under large branches.
Ames said she was rolling up her son’s car windows at the same time the quick but powerful and devastating storm blew through the region two weeks ago.
“It sounded like a train was going through here,” she said.
The tree pulled down live wires.
“It looked like a bomb hit because there was just debris everywhere,” Ames said.
Ames says the live wires were scattered across her yard and her neighbor’s yard for three days until Duquesne Light utility crews cut the power.
“I called again on Thursday, and the ticket wasn’t in right,” she said.
State Sen. Jay Costa called the Ames family situation in regards to live wires “troubling.” His full statement reads:
“The situation the Ames family has experienced, which is certainly troubling and a very serious safety concern, is why the Public Utility Commission has an active investigation underway. I urge all residents to contact the state Public Utility Commission to report any live wires and to start the process of filing a compliant so that responders can learn from failures in preparedness and response to make improvements going forward.”
Falling trees and branches also damaged their roof, AC unit and fence.
Ames’ car in the driveway was also crushed. Both cars were totaled and not covered by insurance.
“We couldn’t afford the comprehensive,” Ames said. “In the meantime, I’m bleeding money with this car.”
Ames is using a rental car for work. She drives kids with disabilities to school.
“Our jobs don’t pay a lot,” Ames said. “We’re not getting rich. It was already tight, and this is just a kick in the gut.”
Ames’ daughter, Klarissa Ames, set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for her family.
“That’s easily $20,000 of damages,” Klarissa Ames said. “Right now we have nothing, so it’s like any little bit helps.”
Klarissa is hoping to help take the burden off her mom, who’s doing her best to move forward.
“I’m tired,” Cynthia Ames said. “I’m having days where I just fall apart.”
The family told Channel 11’s Antoinette DelBel they’re hoping to raise enough money to also help their elderly next-door neighbor cut down her big tree. They said she can’t afford it on her own either.
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