Issaquah community finds gratitude in unity and resilience post-bomb cyclone devastation

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Thanksgiving looks a bit different for families impacted by last week’s destructive bomb cyclone. One Issaquah neighborhood hit hard by the powerful storm is still picking up the pieces.

It was a quiet holiday around Mt. Fury Circle on Squak Mountain, where some people with visible storm damage to their properties were not home on Thursday.

“It’s very disappointing to see how much damage there is, like across the street with three trees through their house and several others that had trees in their house,” said neighbor Bob Brock. “I can’t imagine how much effort that will take to get them back to normal.”

KOMO News crews were there last week when 150-foot-tall trees smashed through people’s roofs during the bomb cyclone. Brock’s 100-year-old tree in his front yard toppled onto a power line, and he said it will be an expensive job to remove the massive stump. He had also relied on a generator for power for days.

RELATED: PSE restores power after storm, but Thanksgiving plans still impacted for some residents

“Just going out to eat [for Thanksgiving],” Brock told KOMO News. “[There’s] no way to fix a dinner given all this.”

Down the street, Hannah Rankin is hosting her family at her dad’s house.

“It’s incredibly special. I’m with my grandparents this Thanksgiving,” Rankin explained. “I don’t really know what I’ve made besides a mess, but I have made Oreo truffle balls for dessert!”

Neighbors told us they have many reasons to be thankful, including the dozens of neighbors who have stepped up to help chop wood and remove debris, and the power company’s ongoing response to fix power lines.

“Very happy to have it back, and the Internet and cable to boot. They were back yesterday pulling wires back up, and they got them pretty taught, so happy to see that, too,” Brock said.

“Just hold your loved ones. Make sure that everyone around you knows that they’re loved and that they’re happy,” Rankin added.

The Puget Sound Energy map shows that of the remaining power outages impacting about 75 customers, two of those are in Issaquah.

The city continues to host cleanup events on Sundays. People can drop off their yard waste for free at Tibbets Valley Park.