South Carolina couple found hugging each other after tragic death
Jerry Savage, 78, and Marcia Savage, 74, were a couple whose love endured until the very end.
Tragically, they became one of the many victims of Hurricane Helene, which swept through the Southeastern U.S.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which has been labeled the deadliest storm to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, heartbreaking stories of loss are emerging from devastated communities.
Among the victims are 78-year-old Jerry Savage and his 74-year-old wife, Marcia Savage, a beloved couple from Beech Island, South Carolina.
Hurricane Helene has claimed at least 231 lives across six states, and the couple’s tragic end illustrates the profound impact of this catastrophe. A fallen tree crashed into their home, crushing the bedroom where they had shared so many memories.
Coroner had to pull them apart
Authorities confirmed their deaths upon arrival at the harrowing scene.
“My daddy was on top of my mama hugging her trying to protect her,” their daughter, Tammy Estep, 54, told USA Today and added:
“The coroner had to pull them apart.”
Jerry and Marcia first crossed paths as teenagers and fell in love instantly. They enjoyed a remarkable 50-plus years of marriage, deeply involved in their local Baptist church and sharing a unique bond — they were born on the same day, January 22, just a few years apart.
The couple had lived in their cozy one-story home since 1975.
Their daughter, Tammy Estep, reflected on her parents’ love as a shining example. “It was immediate, and it was everlasting,” she said.
“The biggest bang of their life”
Their grandson, John Savage, was in the house that fateful night and also shared some heart-wrenching details about tragedy.
Around 4 a.m. on the night of the storm, John rushed into their room to check on them, finding them shaken but safe with their small dog, Angel.
However, within an hour, disaster struck. They heard “the biggest bang of their life” as the tree fell, and John desperately tried to reach his grandparents, only to find the door blocked. It would take time before John learned the devastating truth.
Jerry and Marcia first crossed paths as teenagers and fell in love instantly. They enjoyed a remarkable 50-plus years of marriage, deeply involved in their local Baptist church and sharing a unique bond — they were born on the same day, January 22, just a few years apart.
The couple had lived in their cozy one-story home since 1975.
Their daughter, Tammy Estep, reflected on her parents’ love as a shining example. “It was immediate, and it was everlasting,” she said.
“The biggest bang of their life”
Their grandson, John Savage, was in the house that fateful night and also shared some heart-wrenching details about tragedy.
Around 4 a.m. on the night of the storm, John rushed into their room to check on them, finding them shaken but safe with their small dog, Angel.
However, within an hour, disaster struck. They heard “the biggest bang of their life” as the tree fell, and John desperately tried to reach his grandparents, only to find the door blocked. It would take time before John learned the devastating truth.