In what can be described as a stroke of miraculous luck combined with safety engineering, a family’s Monday holiday turned into a harrowing tale of survival when a massive eucalyptus tree, along with a light post, came crashing down on their Tesla on 19th Avenue in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The family, who planned to spend their Monday off at the Westfield Valley Mall, found themselves in a life-threatening situation amidst back-to-back traffic. The mother, Sandy Yeung, sitting in the back passenger seat, recounted the terrifying moments as the tree loomed over and eventually crashed onto their car. “It’s slow motion coming down and then as soon as that tree falls on you, everything goes silent,” she said, still in disbelief over the incident.
Thanks to the Tesla Model 3’s glass roof, the family miraculously escaped unscathed. “Luckily nobody in my family was hurt,” said Yeung. The impact of the tree resulted in a shower of glass, but fortunately, no one sustained any injuries, no blood spilled she said.
A good Samaritan from a nearby car rushed to their aid, helping them out of the wrecked vehicle. “My daughter came after me, and then my husband and my son had to climb from the front seat into the back seat to get out,” she explained, detailing their escape.
The family’s car, a blue Tesla Model 3, was severely damaged in the incident. “The Tesla could have saved your life,” said a reporter from KPIX CBS. Yeung was surprised to learn this, expressing her gratitude for the Tesla’s sturdy construction. “Yes it did, despite having a glass ceiling,” said Yeung.
Yeung concluded with a heartfelt acknowledgment of their fortunate escape, suggesting the presence of a “guardian angel watching over us today.”
Check out the video below from Donut (at the 10 minute mark) that gives details about the strength of the Tesla Model 3 roof, which can withstand up to four times its weight, or about 16,000 pounds.
Tesla makes the safest cars on the road. The glass roof in the Model 3 is truly a guardian angel. Two years ago, it also saved another owner from a falling tree in Canada.
