As Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury on South Carolina, John Savage, a 22-year-old resident of Beech Island, felt an overwhelming sense of duty to check on his elderly grandparents. With winds howling and branches snapping outside, he ventured into their bedroom to ensure their safety.
“I remember hearing a snap and went back there to check on them,” he recalled. His grandparents, Marcia, 74, and Jerry, 78, lay in bed, seemingly safe along with their beloved dog. However, peace would soon turn to horror.
Shortly after, John and his father heard a deafening “boom.” It was the sound of a massive tree crashing onto their home, obliterating the bedroom and tragically ending the lives of his cherished grandparents. “All you could see was ceiling and tree,” John said, his voice filled with grief. “I was just going through sheer panic at that point.”
When first responders arrived, they found Marcia and Jerry lying together, embracing in their final moments. John took solace in the belief that it was God’s plan for them to leave this world hand-in-hand, sparing one from the pain of losing the other. “My grandpa apparently heard the tree snap beforehand and rolled over to try and protect my grandmother,” he recounted, a testament to their lifelong love.
The Savage couple is among the more than 150 victims of what has become one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, with many fatalities resulting from fallen trees crushing homes and vehicles. Among the deceased were two South Carolina firefighters who lost their lives when a tree fell on their truck, illustrating the storm’s indiscriminate wrath.
Jerry Savage, known as a “doer,” was not just a loving husband and grandfather; he was also a skilled handyman. John recalled how his grandfather frequently returned to work, finding joy in his roles as an electrician and carpenter after bouts of retirement. “He got bored and would get that spirit back in him to go back out and work,” John said, painting a picture of a man who was never one to sit idle.
Marcia, a retired bank teller, was a pillar in her community, known for her active participation in church activities and her beautiful singing voice, particularly when it came to gospel music. Her granddaughter Katherine, 27, fondly remembered her grandmother’s culinary talents, especially during the holidays. “She made an awesome turkey for Thanksgiving and was famous for her banana pudding,” Katherine shared.
The couple’s loss has resonated deeply within their community. Social media tributes poured in, celebrating their generous and humble spirits. John and Katherine spent countless childhood years living in a trailer behind their grandparents’ house, solidifying their deep family ties. For the past few years, John and his father had been living with Marcia and Jerry, fostering an environment of love and support that characterized their family life.
Despite the destructive storms that had recently struck their area, John expressed disbelief that anything of this magnitude could happen. “We had not had anything like that happen before,” he lamented.
Throughout the decades, their home was a hub for family gatherings during holidays and special occasions, filled with laughter and warmth. A GoFundMe campaign has been organized to help cover funeral expenses, as the couple is survived by their son and daughter, along with four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Katherine struggled to find the right words to tell her three sons about the loss. “I haven’t even told my boys yet because we don’t know how,” she admitted, her heart heavy with sorrow.
Having been teenage sweethearts, Marcia and Jerry shared an unbreakable bond for over 50 years. Their love story, according to Estep, was “immediate, and it was everlasting.” John poignantly reflected, “They loved each other to their dying day.” In the face of such tragedy, their family’s legacy of love and resilience will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of those they cherished most.
