This article was republished from Unwritten with the author’s permission
Living in Asheville, North Carolina you are surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. You get 4 seasons, and winters usually don’t bring a lot of snow. For me, it’s the ideal climate.
Typically, people associate hurricanes with coastal towns. But, in September of 2024, Hurricane Helene enveloped our mountainous area and dumped an ungodly amount of rain. This caused two of the rivers that run through this area to rise to levels their banks could not contain.
The storm caused catastrophic flooding, high winds, tornadoes, and landslides, among other devastation.
Families were ripped apart and washed away. About 800,000 acres of forest were destroyed. Many lost their lives and homes. The area’s water distribution system also faced major damage, leaving many without running water for months. Once it was restored, it was still unsafe to consume; you had to boil it before using it for dishes and showers. Like some, I still don’t trust it, and I use bottled water for cooking and for our pets.
I work on an 8,000-acre estate that lost over 800 trees and numerous livestock. Our company employs over 2,200 people. Many of these individuals lost their own lives, the lives of family members, cars, their homes, and their sense of safety.
For many of us, Hurricane Helene stripped away the comfort that these mountains once provided.
Five months later, there are still massive piles of debris piled on the sides of what used to be our businesses, parks, and areas we frequented. Landfills are at capacity, and trash has no place for this debris to go. Due to the financial impact of the storm, many had to relocate or close businesses.
We have a long way to go until we are back to “normal”, if ever that may be. Yet, there is one tiny silver lining: our community’s resilience.
Though Hurricane Helene was devastating, it was heartwarming to see how members of the community pooled together to help one another. In the days after the storm, when the sun broke through the clouds, people gathered in the streets to share their resources. People made pots of coffee on propane camping stoves, families cooked meals over the fire and shared with neighbors, and children played in the streets like “old times.”
We are months past when Helene hit, but that community camaraderie is still present. All of us still pool together to help where we can. When winter came in with a vengeance, causing freezing temperatures that endangered people who were still unhoused, volunteers came with propane heaters, sleeping bags, and warm weather clothing. Today, several organizations and businesses still serve free hot meals.
There’s a mixed reaction to supporting our businesses, fearing tourism will impede recovery. But, as someone who is here, I can tell you that you need to visit.
The revenue from visitors pouring into our local businesses could be their saving grace. Please understand that a storm isn’t “over” once the rain has stopped and the wind has slowed. There are still many a dark cloud to pass by. Yet, we will remain mountain strong.
Photo by Helena Cook on Unsplash
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