The tight-knit community of Barberton, Ohio, is mourning the devastating and unexpected loss of 21-year-old Noah Hall — a young man whose life was tragically cut short when a tree fell onto the house where he was sleeping.
It was late Tuesday morning, April 15, 2025, when disaster struck. Around 11:15 a.m., strong winds caused an enormous 80-foot tree to crash into a home on 2nd Street SW. Inside, Noah was lying in bed on the second floor. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but it was too late — Noah had been pinned by the tree and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Noah’s mother, Ashley Hall, later confirmed the tragic news in a series of emotional Facebook posts that included heartbreaking photos of the wreckage: the top corner of their white home destroyed, its roof caved in by splintered wood, and massive tree limbs strewn across the yard.
“He was my only son. My big teddy bear,” Ashley shared in a tearful interview. “He had the biggest heart. Who would’ve thought that would be the last time I saw him alive?”
The Summit County Medical Examiner scheduled an autopsy for the following day, though early indications point to the storm as the cause of the tree’s fall. Fire Marshal David Polacek said the tree collapse was likely weather-related, a grim reminder of nature’s unpredictability.
“It’s the kind of tragedy you just can’t see coming,” said Polacek. “Things happen, and it’s heartbreaking.”
Barberton Tree Service responded immediately to help clear the wreckage. Lisa Devenport, a certified arborist with 30 years of experience, called the incident “heartbreaking — and possibly preventable.” She urged homeowners to routinely check for signs of tree decay and call a professional if anything looks suspicious.
As news of Noah’s death spread, so did the grief. Messages of love and condolences poured in, including from Barberton resident Willi Meeks, who wrote, “Barberton can’t catch a break. Everyone, please keep this family in your prayers. His name was Noah.”
Noah had moved to Ohio just six months earlier from Owensboro, Kentucky, seeking a fresh start and new opportunities. He graduated from Clinton High School in Tennessee in 2021 and was working at a Wendy’s in Norton at the time of his death. Friends described him as kind, funny, hardworking — someone whose compassion left a lasting impression.
“He didn’t have a single evil bone in his body,” reads a heartfelt message on a GoFundMe campaign created to support funeral costs. “His humor flooded rooms. His kindness reached everyone.”
So far, the campaign has raised $310 of its $500 goal. Organizers are calling on the public to help give Noah the peaceful farewell he deserves.
Ashley’s grief is raw but filled with love. Her Facebook page is a collage of treasured memories: candid selfies, birthday celebrations, and mother-son hugs that now feel too far away. One photo shows Noah — tall, smiling, gentle — leaning affectionately toward his mom beneath a golden “2021” graduation sign.
Standing six-foot-five and wearing size 14 shoes, Noah was truly larger than life — and not just physically. “He was a big guy with an even bigger heart,” Ashley said. “He listened. He cared. He loved deeply.”
At the time of the accident, Noah had been sharing the home with a friend from a previous job. Three others who lived downstairs were not home during the collapse. One of them, Tanner Soltis, returned to salvage belongings from the condemned home and offered sobering words: “You can replace a house. But not a life.”
Noah is survived by his mother, Ashley Hall, and three sisters — Aaliyah and Brizanna Graves, and Jayden Ramos — as well as loving grandparents, aunts, and uncles who now carry his memory forward.
A visitation for Noah will be held on Tuesday, April 22, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 6:00 p.m., both at James H. Davis Funeral Home. An online obituary and tribute book have also been posted for those who wish to share memories, condolences, or messages of love.
To honor Noah’s life and legacy, donations may also be made to the Noah Hall Memorial Fund. Every message, every gesture, every prayer helps light a candle in the darkness his loved ones now face.
In these painful moments, we extend our deepest sympathies to Ashley, Noah’s siblings, his entire family, and all who knew and cherished him. May his memory be a blessing — and may he rest in peace.
