A pig finds a home in Pleasant Hill, a tree is trimmed and strangers helping strangers

PLEASANT HILL, Calif. - Last weekend's powerful windstorm knocked a large tree branch into a live power line near a Pleasant Hill home. PG&E told the homeowners they were too busy to help, so the homeowners came up with a unique solution. 

One couple is grateful to a tree trimmer who they say risked life and limb to protect their house, but it turns out the tree trimmer got some help for a friend of his. 

John Brooks is perched high up in a redwood tree removing branches tangled in power lines. For resident Marcie Christensen, the tree trimmer is her savior. 

"Some stranger's risking his life to save my house and to protect me," she said. 

On Monday, the high wind knocked branches into what's known as a "drop", of a feeder line that runs from the utility pole to her house. 

"This is nothing to me. This was just minor, but the fact that it could have sparked, and with the winds coming up in a couple of hours, that's where my concern was," she said. 

Christensen and her husband took shifts, keeping an eye on the tree. 

"I spent the entire night, all night long, checking on it to make sure that it didn't spark." 

They were then told by PG&E that the drop line was their responsibility  

They had no clue what to do until Tuesday morning when they answered a call for help from Brooks and his girlfriend, they had to evacuate from their Sebastopol home because of the fires and their pot belly pig had no place to go. 

Bailey the pig.

It just so happens that Christensen is the president of the California Potbellied Pig Association and Brooks is a professional tree trimmer. 

Bailey the pig now has a temporary home in Pleasant Hill, not far from Mason and Brix, the Christensen's two pigs, and the Christensen's have some peace of mind. 

Brooks does his best to to not touch the power lines. 

"These are just house drops, so house drops won't electrocute you unless you touch them directly," Brooks said. "It was nice we could exchange it right here and nice to get her mind off the fire going up in the tree." 

"I'm thrilled that he's able to do this because PG&E's answer to me was "Watch it." How do you watch that line 24 hours a day?" Christensen said with a little laughter in her voice.   

The house is safe, the pig is safe and everyone is all the better for it in this story of complete strangers helping each other out in Pleasant Hill.