After a devastating death, a couple from South Carolina was discovered clutching one other
The couple Jerry Savage, 78, and Marcia Savage, 74, were in love till the end. Sadly, they ended up becoming just one of the numerous people killed by Hurricane Helene as it tore across the Southeastern United States.
Following Hurricane Helene, dubbed the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005, tragic tales of loss are beginning to surface from devastated towns.
Jerry Savage,78, and his wife Marcia Savage,74, a devoted couple from Beech Island, South Carolina, are among the victims. At least 231 people have died as a result of Hurricane Helene in six states, and the couple’s tragic demise highlights the disaster’s significant effects. The bedroom where they had spent so many memories was crushed by a falling tree that fell into their house.
When authorities arrived at the horrific site, they were able to confirm their deaths.
According to their 54-year-old daughter Tammy Estep, “My daddy was on top of my mama hugging her trying to protect her,” she told USA Today. “They had to be pulled apart by the coroner.”
When Jerry and Marcia first met as teenagers, they fell in love right away. They shared a special bond—they were born on the same day, January 22, just a few years apart—and had an amazing 50+ years of marriage. They were also very active members of their local Baptist church.
Since 1975, the couple had resided in their charming one-story house. Tammy Estep, their daughter, thought back on her parents’ love as an inspiration. “It happened right away, and it lasted forever,” she remarked.
John Savage, their grandson, who was present in the house that tragic night, also provided some devastating facts about tragedy.
When John raced into their room at 4 a.m. on the night of the storm, he discovered them and their small dog, Angel, startled but safe. But within an hour, catastrophe hit. When the tree collapsed, they heard “the biggest bang of their lives.” John tried furiously to get in touch with his grandparents, but the door was closed. John would have to wait a while to find out the terrible reality.
