In 1989, Chuck Toeniskoetter showcased the restoration of Saint Joseph's church to his family just before the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. During the five-year effort to gain basilica status, Toeniskoetter oversaw crucial repairs, particularly to the roof, which had been failing. As the quake hit, he sheltered his family under freshly restored scaffolding, where they miraculously remained unharmed. The timely renovations likely prevented a disaster, reinforcing Toeniskoetter's dedication to the church's preservation and emphasizing the value of the extensive restoration work he led.
If we hadn't just done all that work to restore the ceiling, my family and the artists and I would've been more than likely decimated.
It was just weeks earlier that Toeniskoetter's construction team discovered that the church's roof...were starting to fail.
As soon as the construction on the roof was complete, artists were called in to work on the ceiling murals.
If we hadn't redone that roof, it would've collapsed and we'd have all been gone, Toeniskoetter said.
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