FERNAN LAKE VILLAGE, Idaho — A North Idaho family is grieving after Wednesday’s windstorm claimed a life when a tree crashed through their home.
Kent died when the tree fell through the family’s house in Fernan Lake Village early Wednesday morning while he was sleeping. His partner Brooklyn Smith and her son Micah Turner were rescued without serious injuries.
“I still think I’m going to look to my side as if I’m going to see him sitting next to me. We were best friends for 14 years and we were together for 13 years,” Smith said.
While most of Fernan Lake Village escaped damage, the Smith family lost everything. Community members have rallied to support them, raising thousands of dollars through a GoFundMe campaign established Wednesday night.
“All of the support, we’re incredibly grateful to every single person that chipped in because I was just terrified. Losing Kent is still [difficult]. But now, it’s like, ‘great, now we’re homeless,'” Turner said.
Ray Watkins, mayor of Fernan Lake Village, said this marks the community’s first weather-related fatality.
“We’ve had a few windstorms and we’ve had a couple that have damaged some homes in recent years. Nothing at all like this. This is the first tragedy we’ve had,” Watkins said.
The mayor believes the community should examine whether tall trees should be permitted in residential areas due to safety risks during severe weather.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
