Florida great-grandparents mourn young teen after Hurricane Debby destroys home: 'Happened within seconds'
Jesse Benward-Souza was a lively eighth-grader who not only loved video games but especially loved spending every minute he could with the one person closest to his heart - his gram.
FILE – Hurricane Debby makes landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida
Hurricane Debby made landfall early Monday morning along Florida's Big Bend, blasting the state with flooding rain, damaging winds and life-threatening storm surge. The Category 1 storm hit near Steinhatchee about 7 a.m. ET with winds topping 80 mph.
FANNING SPRINGS, Fla. – Grief and guilt fill Beverly and John Benward's hearts as destruction from Hurricane Debby's wrath surrounds them inside a tiny camper parked outside their trampled home in southern Florida.
Gram and Pop, as three generations of their family call them, are now suffering after their 13-year-old great-grandson was killed by a falling tree on their trailer while playing video games on the living room couch.
The 74-year-old couple still climbs through a window of their demolished trailer to retrieve needed clothes and personal items each day.
FLORIDA BOATER KILLED IN ATTEMPT TO RIDE OUT HURRICANE DEBBY WITH SMALL DOG
Jesse Benward-Souza was killed about 8 a.m. Monday after a tree fell on a mobile home he was living in with his great-grandparents in Fanning Springs.
(Levy County Sheriff's Office)
Now comes the daunting task of burying the young gentleman who would open any door for a stranger and who was raised by his Gram and Pop for nearly 10 years. Jesse Benward-Souza was a lively eighth-grader who not only loved video games but especially loved spending every minute he could with the one person closest to his heart.
"He would not leave my Gram’s side," Jesse's cousin, Amanda Daniels, told FOX Weather. "He always wanted to sleep in bed with her. That was his Gram. Nobody took him away from Gram."
Except for Debby.
Jesse's family members hope that by sharing his story they can help someone else who is in a similar situation. They want everyone to know that when a storm threatens, they should take extra precautions to stay safe.
(Amanda Daniels)
The Category 1 hurricane made landfall in Steinhatchee around 7 a.m. Monday, about 40 miles west of where Jesse lived with his great-grandparents in Fanning Springs. According to the National Hurricane Center, winds in Levy County were estimated to be around 80 mph at the time.
Yet, like many in Florida, Gram and Pop were used to similar tropical trouble in the Gulf of Mexico and decided to ride out the storm amid evacuation orders.
"Pop was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and eating, and Gram was in her bedroom watching TV," Daniels recalled.
Amanda Daniels, right, will miss her cousin, Jesse Benward-Souza, deeply.
(Amanda Daniels)
A loud bang then filled their home, and panic set in. Gram ran out of her room, screaming into the living room. She immediately found herself clawing through the storm debris that had buried Jesse.
She ended up finding his legs, Daniels said. It was the only thing she could see. The rest of his body was covered.
"She said they still felt warm," Daniels cried. "It just happened within like seconds."
It took nearly five hours for EMTs and firefighters to remove the massive tree from Jesse and recover his body. The wait and confirmation that Jesse was dead nearly killed the couple themselves. Pop still blames himself for Debby not taking him instead.
"Not only did they lose their grandson that they've been raising right in front of their eyes, they lost their home," Daniels said.
Gram and Pop have cared for three generations of their family while living in Levy County.
(Amanda Daniels)
Daniels wants Jesse’s story to be heard in hopes she helps somebody else throughout Florida, or anywhere where there are storms, just to take extra precautions.
"My little cousin didn't do anything to deserve this," she cried. "My grandparents have done everything they can for this entire family their whole lives."
A celebration of Jesse’s life will be held Saturday in Fanning Springs.
Daniels is asking for any monetary donation to help her bury her cousin and start rebuilding her grandparents' home. You can donate by clicking here.