Matthews woman holds onto faith after husband killed by falling tree

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Dianne Ladd is holding on after her husband, Paul, was killed when a tree fell on his truck Sunday afternoon in Matthews during the winter storm.

“He was born loving life,” Ladd said.

[PAST COVERAGE: Police identify man killed when tree fell on car Sunday afternoon in Matthews]

After the tree collapsed onto the truck on East John Street near Charles Buckley Way, the vehicle kept going several feet before crashing into a church.

“Love the ones that you love,” Ladd said. “Never go to bed mad and never leave the house without telling the person you love them.”

Ladd said their home lost power during that storm so they went to visit with their daughter on her birthday.

“He loved life. He loved living,” Ladd said. “We were just coming back from taking our daughter out for her birthday, and he looked over at me and he said, ‘I just so enjoyed today. I had so much fun.’”

Ladd, who was in the car with him during the accident, suffered minor injuries.

“It was such a freak accident that the only explanation is that God was calling him home,” Ladd said. “That’s the only explanation and the only reason I survived is: I’ve got work yet to do.”

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