Woman's headboard stops tree from crushing her to death: 'Afraid wasn't going to be here'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Charlotte woman said she is grateful to be alive after a tree fell on her apartment.

Lenore Richardson says she was trapped in her bedroom until firefighters arrived to rescue her.

Richardson was sitting on her bed in her second-floor apartment when she heard a loud noise.

She said it was her grandson that motivated her not to give up.

"I have to keep telling myself, even though you lost everything, you're still here and I was so afraid I wasn't gonna be here. My grandson is now just three months old and I have to see him and he know who I am," said Richardson.

She has bumps and bruises on her hands, arms and shoulder.

The firefighter says the tree's weight could have crushed her, but her headboard stopped it from causing more harm.

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