JOHNS ISLAND — Samantha Siegel fell in love with the Angel Oak when she was in her 20s.

It was around 2008 when Siegel had her first encounter with the ancient tree. She remembers being “in a very dark place in my life” at the time. One day, her best friend brought her to the site off Bohicket Road.

“I touched it and something changed; it was a magical moment,” she said, reminiscing about how that encounter marked a turning point in her life. It gave her purpose and made Charleston feel like home.