Hurricane Helene

Four weeks ago, my community was forever changed. My husband and I moved to Asheville, NC on January 1, 2021. Asheville was the perfect place to settle after an exhausting 9 months of being cooped up in our one-bedroom apartment in DC; it was an apparent “climate haven” in my home state where we could enjoy hiking, kayaking, fine dining, and the arts in equal measure. But since September 27th, our town looks very different.

We spent the first 48 hours after Helene with no way to communicate with anyone outside our home. Though we were very lucky, and our home did not sustain any damage, we were without power and water and had no idea just how far-reaching the damage would be. 

We were better equipped than most, with solar powered lanterns we could use once the sun started to set, and a solar powered battery that we could use to keep our phones (now best used as flashlights) charged. We went to our neighbors in the evenings and cooked whatever still seemed safe to eat over an open fire. We used an FM radio to listen to the twice-daily broadcasts by the county and town managers, who were sharing updates and imploring people to stay off the roads to save gas and keep them clear for first responders and construction crews. A city-wide curfew was put in place. It was surreal and scary, but we were safe and healthy so we knew we would be ok. 

The devastation is heartbreaking and overwhelming. Our friends and neighbors lost their homes, their businesses, and in the hardest hit places, their lives and loved ones. Over 500 roads are still closed and 100 bridges need to be rebuilt. Driving past our favorite spots now, all you see is debris and rubble, fallen trees and mud. It’s going to take years for Western North Carolina (WNC) to recover and rebuild in the wake of the storm. 

I’ve felt gutted and hopeless. I worry that what we’ve experienced will soon be yesterday’s news. There is, after all, no shortage of crises in the world and people who need help. 

Yet I share my story here not to elicit sympathy, but rather encouragement. The outpouring of support from people across the country, throughout the state, and in particular in the WNC community has been tremendous. I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of such a resilient community, and I’m reminded that even in the face of tragedy and uncertainty, there are always people doing the hard work to make it better. These are just some of the amazing organizations I’ve been supporting:

• MANNA Foodbank
• BeLoved Asheville
• Asheville Humane Society
• Diaper Bank of North Carolina
• North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund

The road ahead is long. Help us get there by becoming a supporter too.