Shining a Light on the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina
Life in Western North Carolina is different. Our community’s heart and land has been forever reshaped by Hurricane Helene. The loss has been simply devastating. As I write our Thanksgiving update, I am thankful that my family, and the families of our team at ACM Design, were spared the worst of the storm, but I am mindful that many of our neighbors, including those over the mountain in Eastern Tennessee, were not as fortunate and their lives will forever be influenced by these events. Even now, the destruction remains unfathomable. We may never know all those who perished. The storm’s immediate impact is impossible to describe in words by those of us who lived through the experience . . . too harrowing, too shocking to restate as prose. But, we can use words to shine a light on what has since happened in Western North Carolina as we work to bring back our vibrant community.
In the weeks since the storm, the spirit of our community and those caring persons outside our area who have endeavored to help us has shone through as we have banded together, neighbor helping neighbor, as we forge a path forward. All you can do after tragedy is put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. Without direction, without purpose, the grief from loss becomes overwhelming.
Vast amounts of debris still remain. Twisted metal from buildings and broken asphalt from roads still sit piled up alongside acres of fallen trees lining our roadways after being pushed aside to restore access for vehicles. Evidence of Helene still shows along the river road I travel on my morning commute with a gray haze of silt that dusts high up into the tree line. The remains of destroyed homes, churches, and businesses linger in piles waiting to be picked up by removal vehicles. People are homeless, businesses are shuttered. We have a former client whose home was destroyed by a mudslide during the storm. Longtime residents have left their communities after having lost everything. Everyone knows someone with first-hand, horrific tales of peril and lives lost.
Yet, among all of this destruction, we see the goodness of the human spirit, both in locals caring for each other and in those who came from other parts of the country to help us. They shared food, water, and clothing. They made use of their farm animals to get supplies to areas that had no other access to resources than what could be carried on the backs of goats and mules capable of traversing the rugged, ruined landscape. They shared their chain saws to remove trees from houses and driveways. They brought in heavy equipment to clear roadways. They flew their small private helicopters over the mountainsides to rescue those in remote areas and to take the first pictures of just how widespread the destruction actually was. In the first few weeks after Helene, information was sparse, both locally and nationally, as we tried to restore power and get back online. We didn’t know the full extent of the relief efforts of our friends from across America. Even now, I still encounter someone with a new story of hope sparked by these extraordinary efforts.
We will be rebuilding for years,
but rebuild we shall.
The answers to the questions of how we will rebuild are still somewhat unknown. Many of our neighbors did not carry flood insurance. Prior to Helene, it was not necessary. Now, many of those who lost their mountain homes and businesses to the flooding are financially devastated. Given the tremendous demand, it is unclear how, when, or if federal disaster programs can offer assistance to all those in need. The reality is that many parts of our community may never fully come back.
However, we are on the way to recovery, and we are thankful for that. The City of Asheville has finally been able to give the all clear for water to be used again for consumption and hygiene. Power and internet have become more reliable. Food supplies in local grocery stores are becoming more complete each day. Yet, there are many who are still struggling as they continue to sift through the remnants of the life they knew just 8 weeks ago.
The silence in our homes in the first few days after Helene without power and communication will now turn to the cacophony of gatherings of friends and families as we all come together for Thanksgiving. We will say a prayer for those who were lost and count the blessings of the survivors.
On a personal note, I am thankful to be able to connect with my entire family this Friday for the Greene Gathering. Over a decade ago, this was a big annual event of both family and friends but dwindled over the years as we all grew older and busier. The Gathering will just be family this year, but with a blended family of 7 children, many with spouses, children and grandchildren of their own, it will still be quite a crowd. We are bringing it back this year both to celebrate with my Dad (age 93) and because we all yearn for the comfort of the familiar in times of need, for the things that restore our soul, and give us hope. My sincere wish is that you find your own celebration and hope in your Thanksgiving this year.
