By Alexis Gonzalez

Hurricane Beryl delivered an unexpected birthday present to Houston resident Lee Cerf: a tree through his roof. As if Beryl hadn't done enough, it then took his power, leaving Cerf to deal with the aftermath of the party crasher.    

On Monday, July 8th, Cerf was in his home with family member Marcia Phillips when they heard Beryl's "thunderous roar." Cerf could hear the creaking of tree branches from his backyard and the roar of strong winds. He knew he had to act. Cerf yelled for Phillips to evacuate the house because he felt a tree was about to come crashing down.   

In a swift move, Cerf vacated his home. Minutes after walking out the door, the tree crashed down on his house. "If I would've evacuated even 3 minutes later, that tree would've fallen right on top of my head," recalled Cerf.  

At the same time, Phillips was in the kitchen when she heard Cerf call out to her. Not realizing the urgency, Phillips was still in the kitchen when the tree landed on the other side of the house.   

"God saved me that day. I was about to leave the kitchen and go to the back room when I turned around to get my food. I heard the tree come down, and all I could do was thank God that He had stopped me from walking out a minute sooner."    

In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, Cerf and Phillips endured ten days without electricity. During that time, they stayed with family members. Then, they returned to their home to pack their belongings and try to cover the hole in the roof to prevent more rain from penetrating the house.    

"I was not planning to spend my 69th birthday salvaging my home. But we are here, and we are alive. My life is the only gift I can ask for," shared Cerf. "Thank y'all for helping us. You do great work, and I didn't expect to meet y'all under these circumstances."   

In Cerf's efforts to recover, he connected with the American Red Cross and qualified for financial assistance.   

If Hurricane Beryl has impacted you, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767) for assistance.