Couple unhurt as tree falls through Lynnfield home

LYNNFIELD – A handicapped Lynnfield woman and her caretaker credit a higher power with saving their lives Saturday after a tree crashed through the woman’s Longbow Circle home.Virginia Driscoll, who has lived at 21 Longbow Circle for 36 years with her husband Frederick, was in her driveway getting some exercise when a sudden gust of wind stopped her and her caretaker in their tracks.”We just turned around and all of the sudden we heard a gust of wind and saw the leaves. You couldn’t see in front of you,” Driscoll said.The caretaker had sticks and leaves in her hair when she told Driscoll not to look back.”She said, ?Don’t look around. There’s a tree in your house,'” Driscoll said.When Driscoll turned around she saw a 100-foot tree had crashed onto her single-story home where Frederick was sleeping inside.A huge portion of the tree landed where Virginia and her caretaker were standing moments earlier.”We could’ve got killed if it had been a few seconds earlier,” Driscoll said. “It makes me feel that someone was watching over me.”Driscoll said her neighbor ran over as soon as he heard the crash, and went inside to make sure Frederick was okay.No one was injured.For now, the roof has been patched up to prevent water damage. But the numerous holes in the roof and damage to the chimney remain.The couple is staying in the house for now, Driscoll said.”It’s a tough time of year to have that happen but what are you going to do,” Driscoll said.