Hurricane Helene: Couple hugging each other found dead in bed after hurricane | US News

A couple who died in Hurricane Helene in the US last week were found hugging each other in bed, their grandson said.

Jerry Savage, 78, and his wife Marcia, 74, along with family members sought shelter in their home in Beech Island, South Carolina, as winds of up to 140 miles per hour (225 km/h) raged outside.

One of their grandchildren, 22-year-old John Savage, heard the snapping of branches and went into the couple’s bedroom to make sure they were OK.

“They were both fine, the dog was fine,” he said of the couple lying in bed.

But a short time later, Mr Savage and his father heard a “boom” as one of the largest trees on their property fell onto his grandparents’ bedroom, killing them.

“All you could see was the ceiling and the tree. At that point I was in pure panic,” he said.

Mr Savage said the family believed it was “God’s plan” that they should die together and not one suffer without the other.

“When they pulled her out of there, my grandfather apparently heard the tree break beforehand and turned to protect my grandmother,” he said.

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Jerry was described as a “doer” and was an electrician and carpenter, while Marcia was a retired bank teller who was active in her church.

The two were teenage lovers and had been married for over 50 years. Her daughter Tammy Estep said their love was “immediate and eternal.”

“They loved each other until they died,” Mr. Savage said.

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Jerry and Marcia are among the more than 150 confirmed victims of Hurricane Helene, one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history.

Dozens died when trees fell on their homes or cars, including two South Carolina firefighters who died when a tree fell on their truck.

The hurricane struck several states, flooding homes, causing mudslides and destroying telephone networks.