Most people wouldn't call a house explosion a Christmas miracle. But considering Denise Kunisch was inside the house when it exploded, and survived with only minor injuries, that's just what the family is calling it!
Denise arrived home in time to wait for her three kids to get back from school. She let the dog out, and then headed to the basement. There'd been ongoing problems with the septic, so she assumed that was what was to blame for a funny smell that permeated the house. Suddenly, a huge blast blew the house apart, while Denise was still inside.
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The explosion, occurring at 3:30pm, was heard as far as 10 miles away!
"I've never felt anything like that before," neighbor Rob Faulls said. "It felt like 8.1 on the Richter scale."
The blast completely leveled the Kunisch's house. And surveying the scene, no one expected to find Denise alive.
"To be honest, it just looked like a really big fireplace," neighbor Colby Quackenbush recalled. "There was really nothing left. A lot of it was just obliterated."
But then, as concerned police and neighbors approached the wreckage in the backyard, they heard a faint voice call out, "I'm here."
With the help of neighbors, police Lieutenant Tom Maslanka pulled Denise from the rubble, along with the family dog, Daisy. To everyone's amazement, Denise walked herself to the patrol car.
"It's absolutely a miracle that she didn't sustain life-threatening injuries," Lt. Maslanka said. "She had a bump on her head. That was about it."
And plenty of others are convinced a miracle took place. Had the explosion taken place just a little bit later, all three kids would have been home. It's a blessing Denise was the only one inside the house, and an absolute miracle she survived at all.
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"You know, it's truly a Christmas miracle that Denise made it out relatively unscathed," said Chris Kunisch, Denise's brother-in-law.
Investigators are still looking into the exact cause of the blast. But authorities have ruled out any kind of criminal activity. Suspected causes include the septic tank or an underground propane tank.
Despite losing all of their possessions, Denise and her husband, Craig, haven't hesitated to call the house explosion a Christmas miracle, either. They're well aware that what was spared from the blast is is far more valuable than anything they lost.
"I spoke to Craig today and he says he feels that he's really blessed that he didn't lose his wife and his kids," said neighbor Mary Pohlman. "So this is not about an explosion, it's about a miracle, really."
And there was one other blessing waiting in the rubble. The couple's treasured wedding album survived!
The Kunisch's are currently living in a hotel, and friends have offered them a place to stay for the holidays. The community has rallied behind them, raising more than one hundred thousand dollars in donations in less than 24 hours via a GoFundMe page!
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We'll never understand all of the things that happen in this world. But one thing is for sure -- God will always provide!
Denise and Craig talk about the house explosion in the video below:
"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven." Psalm 107:28-30
h/t: Times Herald-Record