Teen trapped under tree speaks out

HAMPTON, Va. - After being released from the hospital, a Newport News teenager spoke only with WAVY.com about surviving the November nor'easter. 

It was the Wednesday morning, the first day of the nor'easter.  17 year-old Kyle O'Brien was sitting on his couch watching the news.  He wanted to know if school was canceled that day.

"All of a sudden the house started shaking. I thought it was, like, an earthquake," says Kyle.

Nervous from the sounds, Kyle moved from his couch to the floor.  Seconds later, a tree smashed through his home, trapping him.

"My head was right there where the tree way laying on it. I just thought about if I didn't move I wouldn't be here right now," says Kyle.

The 17 year-old sits on his grandfather's couch recovering and recounting only to WAVY.com the terror he felt Wednesday morning when emergency crews arrived to try and save his life.

"My biggest concern was not being able to walk again."

The bottom of the tree pinned Kyle from his waist down, the top landing at a lucky angle away from the teenager's head and chest.

"I felt a tingly sensation all the way from the top of my thighs all the way down."

After two-and-a-half hours Kyle was free, no feeling in his legs, but alive.  One week later, the amazing young man hobbles around on crutches, suffering only nerve damage to his feet, broken blood vessels in his eyes, and some frayed nerves.

"A loud noise or like a fire truck or something kind of scares me a little bit to this day," says Kyle.

No sooner did he say that, then the family dog hit a screen door causing Kyle to jump and go silent for a few moments.  Then, the high school junior mustered up enough courage to leave the protective walls of his grandfather's house and go to the place he used to call home.

"This is the first time I've been here, so..."

Facing his fear, for just a few minutes, Kyle briefly relived that terrifying day in his mind and then, "I don't want to be here no more," he said.

He stayed just long enough to retrieve things most important to him, like his elementary school yearbook, and then he said goodbye.  He did all of that as work crews prepared to remove the tree that uprooted his life, but luckily didn't take it.

"I'm just thankful for everybody that helped me get out of there," says Kyle.

Kyle is expected to fully recover from his nerve damage, however his family does face one problem.  They don't have insurance on the trailer and his mother is recovering from a recent surgery.  Family and friends set up a fund to help.

If you'd like to donate, you can visit any Towne Bank branch and ask for the O'Brien Family Contributions Fund.