Woman Nearly Killed by Tree Branch While on Swing in Gaines Township

Earlier this week, a Gaines Township woman nearly lost her life after a massive tree branch suddenly fell while she was simply sitting on a swing in her yard.

It’s wild how something so innocent and routine could have killed her.

I spoke with her father, Jerry Katich, who told me carpenter ants were basically to blame. They had eaten away the inside of the branch, making it so weak that it snapped without warning. The family had no idea the ants had caused that kind of damage.

Thankfully, a neighbor was outside doing yard work when he heard the branch break and then heard 33-year-old Ashly screaming. He ran over, found her trapped under this huge branch, and immediately called 911. Then he called Jerry to let him know what was going on.

Jerry then came home to an unbelievable scene.

Fire crews from Gaines Township, Mundy Township, and Swartz Creek jumped into action and somehow managed to get Ashly out safely. She spent about five hours at Hurley Medical Center but walked away with just scrapes and bruises. That is nothing short of a miracle.

Firefighters told Jerry that if that branch had landed just an inch or two differently, it would’ve killed her.

Jerry posted on Facebook, thanking the fire departments and asking for prayers, and honestly, it’s hard not to be blown away by how lucky Ashly was.

You hear about bizarre accidents happening all the time, but never have I heard one where someone almost lost their life while sitting on a swing.