The family from the town of Springfield expresses gratitude to the police and firefighters for rescuing the man approximately 35 minutes after a fallen tree trapped him in his trailer.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning on Fenn Road.
60-year-old Jay Nelson was sleeping in his camper in the backyard when a strong wind toppled a large tree, crushing a significant part of the trailer, including the sleeping area. Nelson was pressed against the mattress.
He managed to grab his mobile phone and call his stepdaughter, Kari Rives, who lives in a house on the property.
"He called and panicked, started screaming, calling for help. Once calm, Jay said that a tree had fallen on him," said Rives.
Rives called 911 and continued talking to Nelson, fearing that he was badly pressed down.
"Jay reached his hand through a small hole in the trailer to show that he was okay," Rives explained.
City of Springfield police, firefighters, and neighbors arrived at the scene.
According to police, Officer Steve Svidron cut the tree with a chainsaw, which allowed firefighters to extract Nelson from the trailer.
Nelson was taken to the hospital and discharged. He was only bruised on his chest and arms, and, surprisingly, sustained no serious injuries.
"No fractures, he's very lucky to have survived," said his ex-wife, Vicki Nelson.
She is now helping to care for Jay Nelson and says that the emotional conclusion of this horrible ordeal is the hardest part.
"He is very emotional right now. I mean, he is having nightmares because he was trapped, pressed to the ground," Vicki Nelson said.
The family said they will be eternally grateful for the rescue of their loved one from this dangerous situation.
"Amazing, simply incredible," said Rives. "They handled it wonderfully. They assessed the situation excellently and did their job extremely professionally."
Looking at the photos of Jay Nelson trapped, Vicki Nelson considers it a miracle that he survived.
Jay Nelson is extremely grateful that he was rescued.
