Houses, cars damaged after severe storms sweep through Dearborn and Dearborn Heights
The Southeast Michigan communities of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights got hit hard by Friday night's severe storms.
The mayor of Dearborn posted on social media that 80 trees or large branches came down, with 15 hitting houses or cars.
Remarkably, a bouncy house survived the strong winds that ripped through a Dearborn neighborhood Friday night.
"We were having a birthday party for my son. As the wind was picking up, we were trying to hold down the tents, and all of a sudden, you hear a big crash," Rafat Essa, a Dearborn homeowner, said.
A large tree had fallen on top of a car with a mother and son still inside.
"They're okay. She was very shaken up. He was, he was pretty calm," Essa said.
Just a few blocks away, the aftermath is all that remains after multiple trees and branches came down on a family's dream home.
"Thank you, City of Dearborn, coming in. They helped take the tree out in a quick hour. It didn't even take that long. And off course, even our lovely neighbors came and helped and removed all the trees that the city couldn't," Ali Charafeddine, a Dearborn resident, said.
The roof of the home is damaged and three vehicles were crushed, but the family is thankful to be alive.
"It could have been worse, honestly. So, I looked at the damage, and honestly, we were lucky that it was just that," Charafeddine said.
In nearby Dearborn Heights, another family suffered the same fate.
"Me and my dog were sitting in the basement, and the power went out, and we heard like, like thunder. It rattled the house," Ahamd Berry, Dearborn Heights homeowner, said.
The thunder was actually the sound of a massive tree that splintered from its base and landed on top on the home.
Berry says it was a devastating blow for his mother.
"Her home is [her] probably pride and joy, but that's why she was crying. So it's, it was hard for her," Berry said.
While the storm caused chaos, the day after is calm, and all that's left to do is clean up.