(SPALDING COUNTY, Ga.) — The storms left widespread damage across Griffin in Spalding County on Thursday night.

Griffin fire crews rescued one man from his home after he was pinned under a tree for hours.

“A blessing,” said the man’s daughter, Alayassa Roberts. “That was a blessing. That man has been through so much.”

After a dramatic and terrifying few hours, it was a moment of euphoria when crews pulled the man out of the home.

WSB-TV′s camera was rolling as the man threw his hands into the air while being loaded into an ambulance – celebrating being alive.

“That was a great moment,” said Griffin Fire Rescue Operations Chief, Brian Brock. “Our guys, we’ve got a great fire department and they were all hands on deck.”

Griffin fire along with the help of volunteers and tree cutters worked through the evening to rescue the man, ultimately digging a tunnel through the debris to pull him out.

“He was pinned from about the middle of the chest down so we had to free him totally from those,” said Brock.

Stay with WSB Radio throughout the week for the latest models and timing.

The man’s daughter told us she and two other family members escaped the home after the storm blew the tree over.

Now, she’s forever grateful to the crews who helped her father escape, as well.

“At the end of the day not only was it a life up under there, but they’re putting their lives at risk to save other lives,” said Roberts.

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