Daughters remembers father killed in Plum house explosion
PLUM, Pa. (KDKA) -- Emily Sebunia says her dad Kevin Sebunia was always one to lend a hand whenever anyone needed help without ever expecting anything in return. She believes her dad was most likely doing just that when he died.
He was one of five people who were killed when a house exploded in Plum on Saturday.
"I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything. It felt like my entire world had just collapsed around me," she said.
It was Saturday morning at exactly 11:48, a time Emily Sebunia says she'll never forget, when she got a frantic call from her mom saying her dad, Kevin Sebunia, was trapped in a basement of a house in the neighborhood and it was on fire.
She hopped the first plane from Texas not knowing what had happened to her dad.
"Our neighbor, Casey, we believe that Casey called his wife and just said that they were trapped with Kevin and their son and that was the end of the phone call," she said.
"The second my mom tried to call my dad -- nothing."
The details are still unclear two days later. But Emily says the theory is her dad and Casey Clontz and 12-year-old son Keegan Clontz, were all at one of the three homes that morning to possibly fix something.
Emily called her dad, who worked for a construction company, the neighborhood "go-to guy."
"We had guys in our garage every single day asking for tools, asking for help, asking for advice. He was always one to lend a hand even when he didn't have time," she said.
She said her younger sister, 26-year-old Abigail, and her mother, 55-year-old Kelly, are also deeply grieving and the tragedy has left a void in all of their hearts.
Emily recalls the last time she saw her dad. He walked her down the aisle on her wedding day, July 1. She says she never imagined that would be the last hug she ever got from the man she describes as the "best dad anyone could ever have."
"There is nothing that I will cherish more than the words of wisdom he gave us and how much I know that means to both of us," Emily said.
"Just a man among men. A giant. A pillar of the community," said son-in-law Jacob Brizee.
Emily says nothing brings her more joy than hearing the wonderful things people are saying about her dad.