Tampa, FL– A Florida family’s Christmas Eve took a devastating turn when their home unexpectedly collapsed during a roof replacement project. Victoria Sowell recounted the terrifying ordeal, stating, “It went from the 23rd of December at 6:30 in the morning, everything was fine… to by 1:30 in the afternoon, we lost our entire house.”
The Sowell family had been patiently waiting for a new roof after sustaining damage during Hurricane Milton. When the roofing crew arrived, initial excitement quickly turned to alarm as Sowell noticed a significant crack in the wall. She recounted, “I immediately took pictures, sent them to the foreman and said, ‘We’ve got a problem.’”
Tragically, her fears were realized. “I started screaming, ‘Stop! Stop what you’re doing!’” Sowell described. “The tree was right under where the wall was starting to crack, and I grabbed all the Christmas presents and the tree.
The family narrowly escaped through a bathroom window, but within minutes, their home crumbled.
Code enforcement officials reportedly believe the collapse was caused by an overload of materials on the roof. While the Sowell family awaits insurance claims, they are relying on the generosity of relatives for temporary housing. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist them in their recovery efforts.
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances, Sowell remains resolute. “We will rebuild or whatever we’re going to do,” she declared. “It’s a testament to our family and how we can handle things.”
