Bucks County Teen Brothers Survive Tree Strike

Father thankful his sons are alive after they got hit by a tree during Sandy

A Bucks County father tells NBC10 that was relieved his teenage sons survived being hit by falling trees outside their Levittown home.

Matt Dietrich's sons were in their front yard Monday night when a huge tree came crashing down on them.

“My wife came screaming into room, ‘a tree fell, a tree fell, I don't know where the kids are,’” Dietrich said.

Kyle Dietrich, 15, escaped with minor injuries but his brother Ryan, 19, was pinned under the tree.

“I really thought he was dead – honest to God,” the boys’ father said while tearing up.

The Dietrichs neighbors came running out to help get Ryan, who had suffered a bad head injury and was bleeding, out from under the tree.

“We needed to get him out of there, he was in pretty bad shape,” neighbor George Strimel said.

While the neighbors worked to rescue Ryan, several other big trees came down right next to them but luckily no one was hit.

Thankfully Matt’s SUV was parked out front and spared the boys from being hurt any worse.

“My jeep’s the one that saved them,” Dietrich said. “Half the weight went on the jeep before it hit the kids… I'm happy to lose my jeep over that.”

Kyle was released from the hospital Wednesday, Ryan should be released early next week -- he has concussion-like symptoms.

“He has no recollection of the tree hitting him, no recollection of anything at all,” Dietrich said. “I’m relieved now because my youngest is out but once my oldest gets out I think I’ll be relieved then. But I'm relieved they’re alive.”

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