ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An Albany man says he narrowly escaped being seriously injured when a tornado sent a large tree crashing into his mobile home, splitting the trailer in half and forcing him to leave the place he once called home.

Willie J. Baker said he was asleep in his bedroom when the storm hit in March.

“When we had that heavy storm, the tree fell down… next to my bedroom, it was like they got me. Thank God they didn’t,” Baker said.

Baker’s son, Justin Baker, said the tree punched through the middle of the trailer, destroying the kitchen and “basically severing the trailer in half.”

He said his father was trapped in a back bedroom until the family arrived.

Justin Baker said he drove from the Atlanta area to Albany after getting the call.

“It was a whole bunch of pandemonium that morning,” he said.

Displaced for months and still paying lot rent, family says

Justin Baker said his father has been living with him since the storm. He said his father is elderly and has dementia, making the disruption especially difficult.

The family said they have struggled to find resources and support in the weeks after the tornado.

“Our biggest thing is… any kind of donations or resources… that could shed a light on this situation,” Justin Baker said.

Justin Baker said the family wants the damaged trailer repaired or removed and claims the situation has left them paying ongoing costs while they try to decide what comes next.

“As long as it stays here, he has to pay on it lot rent,” he said.

Family questions responsibility for tree on park property

Justin Baker said the tree, which he described as rotted, was on property owned by the mobile home park. He said the family believes the park bears responsibility because residents pay monthly lot rent for the land.

“The issue was, the tree is on their property… We don’t own the tree. They own the land,” he said.

Justin Baker said the park told the family there was nothing it could do because it was no longer in the ownership of the trailer. The family disputes that response and says they are still seeking help and accountability.

Willie Baker echoed that sentiment, saying he wants the park to repair the damage.

“All this stuff happened on their property… I’m looking for them to show up for me by fixing my trailer,” he said.

Pine Bluff management responds

Pine Bluff Mobile Home Park management disputes the family’s claims.

In a statement, the company said Mr. Baker was told by the park manager that the damage was an “act of God,” and that because he owns the home and does not have insurance, he would be responsible for the damage to his home.

Pine Bluff also said staff offered Mr. Baker a place to stay in another home until his family arrived.

Management said Mr. Baker is not being charged lot rent because he is not living there, and said the company is not liable for the damage. The company also said it is keeping an eye on his home to make sure no one is going in and out of it.

How to help

Justin Baker said the family has set up a GoFundMe and is also asking anyone with resources to reach out.

“We do have a GoFundMe set up,” he said. “And you can also reach out to me on my email…”

You can email Justin Baker here.

WALB is working to get the GoFundMe link.

Moving forward

WALB has reached out to Pine Bluff Mobile Home Park for a response to the family’s claims, including questions about the condition of trees on the property and whether assistance is available to residents after storm damage.

We are also working to confirm what disaster assistance the family applied for — including FEMA and local relief organizations — and the status of those requests.

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