CARROLLTON, Texas — Esmeralda Martinez and her family are counting their blessings despite losing their house in an early morning storm.
Her longtime Carrollton home has damage in every single room, including the garage. Fortunately, they already had their safe spot in case something like this ever happened.
"This is where we were in the hallway," Martinez said.
The living room ceiling is completely gone. The floor stretching from the family room to the kitchen is covered with insulation from the ceiling. Most of their furniture is soaked from the rain. Normally, it's the alarm clock that wakes them up.
"When we woke up this morning at 5:30, it just started like a lot of wind and raining," Martinez said.
Martinez's neighbor George Furlough lives right next door. Although they have no severe damage, he knew the storm was really close.
He'd heard the noise outside from his neighbor's roof coming apart. When it was over he told his daughter to call to ensure everyone was okay. He's been in the same Carrollton neighborhood for more than 20 years. He's seen and heard plenty of storms, but this one was different.
"It definitely sounded just louder. and I know people say it sounds like a train. It probably wasn't a full train," Furlough said.
Storm damage isn't as bad for Furlough and his family next door. Across the street, Javon Holloway and his grandmother are counting their blessings too. He and his grandmother moved in about a year ago. After the storm woke him up, Holloway got a call from his grandmother who had already left for work. He explained the storm split one of their front yard trees in half. Part of it hit the roof. another part busted out a bedroom window. Holloway could hear the storm taking out other trees in the front yard too.
"I was like, well, we got a problem on our hands," said Holloway, "It was like literally outside my window. I walked out, the glass was broken from the window. And then my neighbors over here help me take the branch out."
Martinez and her neighbors are waiting to learn if more than just strong winds left them with so much damage. She says her insurance adjuster told her the house would have to be demolished and rebuilt because of the extensive damages. Either way, she and her neighbors are thankful that none of them got hurt in the storm.
"Don't take your house for granted. I'll say that much. Be thankful for what you got," Holloway said.