Teen hurt in Napa Quake reflects on 1-year anniversary

NAPA, Calif. (KGO) -- One year ago today, a 6.0 quake rocked Napa County and caused enormous damage. Photos from around the region show that even a year later, there is still a lot to be done. When that quake hit at 3:20 a.m. last year, it shook people out of their sleep over most of the Bay Area affecting Napa, Vallejo, and American Canyon.

You can really see the duality of damage on Brown Street. There are several businesses that were damaged and are still closed for business. Then right in the middle is a coffee shop that was barely affected by the quake. The owner of that cafe says he feels extraordinarily lucky. Fourteen-year-old Nick Dillon agrees.

"I just remember this morning thinking, 'well this is the moment where my whole life changes,'" he said.

Photos show Nick in the hospital after the Napa Earthquake. The 10th grader at New Technology High School broke his pelvis in four places when a chimney fell on him.

He believes he could have died.

"When I thought I was going to pass away, so many things ran through my head," Dillon said. "That, you know, this is my last moment, there were so many things I wanted to do and so many opportunities that I didn't jump on and now every opportunity of course I'm going to jump on."

In some ways, that makes Nick one of the lucky ones.

It's a group that Rick Molinari, owner of Molinari Caffe, feels he's part of as well. His livelihood was spared by a sound business decision he made just before the quake to retrofit the building.

"It feels amazing it just feels really good because I love doing this every day," he said.

If you look carefully enough you'll spot two minor blemishes inside. Chances are you could miss both in the time it takes to grab a morning cup of joe.

"The bad thing is just looking outside and seeing the damage still is what it is," Molinari said.

A work very much still in progress, says Napa County Spokesperson Kristi Jourdan.

"When I walk down 3rd and Brown Streets and I go get my cup of coffee at Molinari's Cafe, you know, I see a community that's still healing, I see an ongoing recovery process but I also see a lot of hope for the future," she said.

Especially when Napa's future includes students like Nick Dillon.

"I think that definitely the earthquake has brought the community closer," he said. "And we've definitely all grown stronger because of it."

He turns 15 next month.

Nick says that when the earthquake hit he was having a sleepover with a friend and that's why he was in his living room when that chimney came down. He says after the started sharing his story that people came forward to help his family and donated money so they could finally clean up that mess.

He shared his message of hope at a celebration held by the Napa community to mark how far they've come in a year. "NapaStrong 6.0/365" was held at Veterans Memorial Park at 3:20 p.m. Residents and local leaders were expected to turn out for the celebration.

PHOTOS: One year after South Napa Quake

We are getting new details today about the damage caused by the quake. According to a new report from the California Earthquake Authority, 28 percent of homes damaged in the quake had chimney damage, 33 percent had large wall cracks both inside and outside, and 15-percent of damaged homes could not be fully re-occupied and were either yellow or red tagged.

Last year's quake left some wineries in shambles. Millions of dollars in wine poured onto floors after barrels toppled. Repairs are underway at Trefethen Family Vineyards after the quake twisted this building. In all, the quake cost Napa wineries about $80 million. Napa wineries generate about $13 billion a year in business. Most of the damaged wineries are back in business.

Work continues to repair Napa's First Presbyterian Church. The structure is on the national register of historic places. Inside, pews remain covered, stained glass windows broken and plaster walls crumbled. The church held services for 140 years before it was damaged. It will take $1.5 million to repair the building.

The Napa quake also rumbled through Vallejo, injuring 49 people and causing an estimated $5 million in damages. Most of the damage involved crumbled chimneys and brick walls, like one at the First United Methodist Church on Sonoma Boulevard. The Sonoma Boulevard exit on Highway 37 was closed due to safety concerns.

ABC7 News will be broadcasting live from Napa all day, as we mark the anniversary of the earthquake. Anchor Dan Ashley will be in the heart of downtown Napa at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to show us how things have changed.

Click here for details on the one-year anniversary, and click here for full coverage on the South Napa Earthquake.

PHOTOS: South Napa Earthquake damage

PHOTOS: Six months after South Napa Earthquake