A South Florida family is grateful to be alive after a boat came crashing into their backyard, smashing into a dock and tiki hut and causing a major mess.
The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday as the family, who lives along the Intracoastal Waterway in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, was sleeping.
Jenna Kelley, whose parents live at the home, said a boater struck a piling and then slammed into the property.
“It’s like one of those freak accidents because the boat hit the post in the water, and then apparently ricocheted off the post and went straight into their dock," Kelley said.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
The vessel hit the Kelley family's dock and fishing boat before slamming into the tiki hut, causing it to collapse.
Kelley said her parents were asleep in their bedroom just feet away.
Local
"Thank God the tiki hut was there," she said. "And if it would’ve hit without the tiki hut going down, like it probably would’ve like went right into their window."
Kelley said the engine had separated from the boat and there was debris everywhere.
"The fact that they were sleeping right there, they’re like, 'we heard a loud boom’ and then you walk outside and there’s an engine like this big just standing here with oil seeping down, it’s crazy," Kelley said.
Kelley said there was just one man on the boat, and he was taken to the hospital. His identity and condition were unknown.
"I guess it’s a big reminder to like really hug your loved ones because that’s really at the end of the day all you have," Kelley said. "It’s devastating and it's not what you want to happen, but it is material things, things can get fixed. The most important thing you have is thanking God that everybody is all right."
