By Staff
William Leslie stepped out of his front door to survey the damage one last time.
He was still in shock from the destruction the ferocious winds associated with Hurricane Dennis had done to his one-story home located at 406 Craig Street.
Hurricane Dennis uprooted hundreds of trees in the Atmore area Sunday afternoon, but the Leslies were one of the families hardest hit by the storm. Winds uprooted a 110-foot pine tree in the their front yard and sent it crashing through their home.
William, who had entered the home only a few minutes earlier to check on the family's two dogs, was nearly struck by the tree while standing in the doorway.
The tree, which was three and a half feet in diameter, ripped off the right side of the Leslie's home. Late Sunday afternoon and Monday, the living room remained exposed to the elements, the tree still lying over the couch and the huge chunk of earth and roots poking out of the ground.
Monday afternoon, William's wife, Wendy, remained inside on the phone with their insurance adjuster. The waiting game had begun.
William and Wendy, along with their children Dakota and Wyatt, took shelter at their neighbors', Harold and Roxy Pearson's home during the storm. William only left for a few minutes.
Although she was upset over the loss of her home, Wendy said she is grateful for her husband's safety.
As for William, he doesn't ever want to go through another hurricane.
The Leslies chose to ride out Hurricane Dennis after evacuating during Hurricane Ivan last September. They wish they had done differently.
The Leslies bought their home in October 2004 after their September closing was delayed due to Hurricane Ivan even though the house only received minimal damage.
As for the fate of the Leslie's home after Dennis, both William and Wendy believe it's not good.
The Leslie's also lost a large oak tree in their backyard and some fencing.
Wendy said another downside to the tragic event was that there is nothing they can do about the damage until insurance adjusters survey the damage.
The Leslie's can't express their appreciation enough for their neighbors' assistance during their time of need.
Despite all her family's losses, Wendy was somewhat positive.