A South Carolina couple tragically lost their lives when a tree fell onto their bedroom during Hurricane Helene. According to reports from CBS News, Jerry Savage, 78, and his wife, Marcia Savage, 74, were discovered embracing in bed after a loud crash echoed through their Beech Island home.

The couple’s grandson, John Savage, 22, had checked on them earlier in the night after hearing branches snap, as the family was sheltering together during the storm.

“We heard one snap and I remember going back there and checking on them,” the grandson said of his grandparents, Marcia, 74, and Jerry, 78, who were in bed. “They were both fine, the dog was fine.”

Soon after, a loud “Boom” was heard. This was the sound of one of the largest trees on their Beech Island, South Carolina property coming crashing down on the grandparents bedroom and killing them.

“All you could see was ceiling and tree,” he said. “I was just going through sheer panic at that point.”

He shared that his grandparents were discovered in bed, holding each other in an embrace.

“When they pulled them out of there, my grandpa apparently heard the tree snap beforehand and rolled over to try and protect my grandmother,” he explained.

Jerry and Marcia started as teenage sweethearts. They had been married for over 50 years, and shared a lifelong bond. Jerry worked as both an electrician and a carpenter, while Marcia, a retired bank teller, was actively involved in her church community.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover the funeral expenses. The couple is survived by their son “Mark Savage and daughter Tammy Estep (Darrell) as well as 4 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.”

Per NBC News, at least 202 people have been confirmed dead following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida a week ago. Hundreds remain missing, and officials are struggling to identify some of the victims. Several communities were completely destroyed by rapidly rising floodwaters, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.