Jenn Biggs Williams dies after tree falls on Florida home

Jenn Biggs Williams was killed in Florida when a storm toppled a tree into her home. Her death marks the first known fatality tied to the severe system along the coast. She was 57 years old and worked in human resources.

She and her husband, Joey Williams, had been married for a decade. The couple stepped outside to take pictures of the sky. They also photographed damage caused by the storm.

The pair returned to the house moments later. A falling tree smashed through the roof and into their living room. The trunk pinned both of them beneath the debris.

“I was able to squeeze out. My wife didn’t make it,” Joey Williams said.

He crawled free from the wreckage. He called for his wife. He heard no response from her.

“The tree just fell on her and it was … we like to think it was pretty instant, you know?” he said.

Joey Williams ran to find a Florida neighbor for assistance. Winds outside reached speeds of up to 100 mph during the event.

“I’m like, ‘My wife’s trapped under the tree. Please, please,’” he said.

They called emergency services for help. Responders told him their ability to assist was limited by intensifying conditions. Crews eventually arrived at the house.

Responders cut apart the tree to free her. Jenn Biggs Williams had already died. The coroner’s office came to the scene.

“They let me say bye to her,” Joey Williams said. “I watched the love of my life for 10 years go into the back of a coroner’s van and head down that road.”

The storm caused severe regional damage. Hundreds of thousands of utility customers lost electrical power. Another storm-related death occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, according to the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency director.

County coroner offices investigate sudden or accidental deaths. Emergency management agencies coordinate local resources during severe weather events in Florida communities.

Joey Williams called his wife a beloved person. He said she was his entire world.