Neighbours in Windsor, Ont. have rallied around a family whose home and property were severely damaged by last week’s tornado.
Bringing rakes, saws and other equipment, neighbours and complete strangers came by over the weekend to help remove trees and other debris from Eric and Megan Bobaljik’s property. The couple wasn’t there, as the night before, a pregnant Megan went to the hospital anticipating their child’s birth.
But over the weekend, dozens answered a plea for help from Eric, who told CTV Windsor days ago that they didn’t know where to turn after their home was hit hard by an F2 tornado that touched down in the city last week.
“I’m on disability, my wife is eight and a half months pregnant, we currently don’t have a home to bring our baby back to,” Eric said.
With a baby on the way, Eric said their home isn’t suitable to live in after the twister slammed down on their property.
This tree was uprooted in front of their home. The tornado also took out more trees in the backyard, and caused damage to their home.
Days after the twister, their home without power and they were told it would be at least 10 more days before it’s restored.
Eric said insurance is paying for their temporary living arrangements, and any destruction to their home, but it’s their responsibility to have the trees removed from the yard.
“I’ve been told to get a garbage bin at my own cost, a wood chipper is going to cost me some money too,” Eric said. “I’ve got enough to worry about than paying more companies to come out and help me with something that was a natural disaster.”
After hearing the family’s plight, at least 25 people came out to clean up the property on Sunday.
Mark Jones, who doesn’t know the Bobaljik family personally, was one of the good Samaritans who decided to help out. He put a call out on Facebook, asking others to join him.
“I thought there’d only be about 10, 15 people, but it looks like 20, maybe 25 or more,” he said. While some came armed with rakes to clean up the mess, others brought refreshments. One person even donated a U-Haul vehicle.
“I guess I’ve always believed it takes a village, and these people needed help and we’re here to help,” said one volunteer.
Eric’s father said the neighbours made a huge difference.
“This yard was a gigantic forest laying on the ground and now it’s all cleaned by these people and that’s a miracle,” Wayne Bobaljik said.
Eric wanted to be at the house for the cleanup, but couldn’t make it out because Megan went to the hospital Saturday, anticipating their baby’s delivery.
“He’ll see the place cleaned up, he’s going to be flabbergasted,” Wayne Bobaljik said.
With a report by CTV Windsor’s Angelo Aversa
