Hurricane Helen’s Impact on Western North Carolina

On September 27, 2024, while I was at Blaze News’ headquarters in Irving, Texas, Hurricane Helen struck Appalachia. It didn’t take long for the aftermath in western North Carolina to reveal itself, and I felt compelled to be there.

“I’m getting overwhelmed,” I mentioned to my editor. “I really need to be in North Carolina.”

The story of Western North Carolina is not despair; it is one of resilience and rebellion.

Matthew Peterson looked up from his desk. “You definitely need to go to western North Carolina,” he said.

By that afternoon, I had checked out of my hotel and hit the road. Originally, I planned to take my favorite scenic route through Tennessee and North Carolina, but the storm had washed parts of it away. Instead, I took I-20 to Atlanta and then I-85 to Durham. Along the way, we stopped at eight Best Buy locations in search of StarLink satellite units. They were all sold out, which was a good sign—relief workers were already on their way to the mountains.

Back home in the Lowry area, I traded in my usual television gear for boots and cargo pants. I, um, ended up needing two pairs of boots. During a strenuous six-mile hike along the Tober River, my companions and I wore out our shoes while assisting a search team.

Jill Savage and Julio Rosas from Blaze Media were already heading to Asheville in the storm’s early days. They quickly connected with Savage Freedoms Relief Operation, a nonprofit led by Adam Smith, a 2017 Army veteran and former Green Beret. SFRO was based at a Harley-Davidson dealership in Swannanoa, and when I arrived unannounced, my Blaze Media press badge got me in.

Smith is the kind of guy you’d see in a movie—6 feet 3 inches, broad-shouldered, commanding attention. But his heroism is rooted in reality. One of his first rescues involved airlifting his daughter and ex-wife from the flooded Broad River Valley, unsure if they were alive or dead until he reached them.

Under Smith’s direction and working alongside veterans, nonprofits, and local officials, SFRO coordinated one of the most effective private disaster responses in recent memory. They delivered nearly 6 million pounds of supplies and flew over 2,500 air sorties, utilizing everything from helicopters to trucks.

I witnessed the efforts of over 100 volunteers, many of whom were veterans themselves. There was a day dedicated to search and rescue, followed by the more heart-wrenching task of recovery.

Federal and state responses were, unfortunately, slower. While the National Guard and the 18th Airborne Corps were eventually deployed and coordinated efforts with Smith and SFRO, their numbers were lacking.

At their peak, Western North Carolina had fewer than 3,500 soldiers on the ground. In contrast, after Hurricane Katrina, over 60,000 National Guard troops were sent to New Orleans; 17,000 were deployed after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Many military resources had been withdrawn, even as thousands faced homelessness right before the winter.

At that moment, the Biden administration and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper were out of touch. However, other organizations stepped in: Samaritan’s Purse, Mercury One, and various Amish charities from Pennsylvania were among those lending assistance.

“We wanted to help those who were suffering from the disaster,” Amanda Zook, an Amish volunteer, shared. “We felt compelled to be here and help.” The Amish community dedicated countless hours to repairing and rebuilding homes affected by the hurricane.

Even local students took action. For instance, students from the carpentry class at Mountain Heritage High School built a small house for a 75-year-old artist, Shelley Hughesley, who lost everything in the flood. “I felt my home was full of water,” she said. “Now, it’s overflowing with angels.”

There are countless stories like hers. Still, the road to recovery is long. Estimates suggest losses could reach between $50 billion and $60 billion, yet only about one-tenth of that has been allocated so far. A FEMA veteran remarked, “This is the worst situation I’ve ever encountered… times ten.”

I caught up with Adam Smith again just before the Fourth of July holiday. He remains in one of the hardest-hit areas. “The story of Western North Carolina is not one of despair; it’s about resilience and defiance,” he said. “The determined people in the mountains are holding strong even as systems meant to provide support have faltered.”

“But they shouldn’t bear this burden alone,” he insisted. “The region needs authentic leadership, transparency in spending, and significant cuts to bureaucratic red tape.”

I asked him if the people could still celebrate Independence Day after all they’d been through.

“The true spirit of July 4th is alive in every volunteer wielding chainsaws,” Smith replied. “Every first responder risks their life, every neighbor shares what they have, and every local leader fights through bureaucratic hurdles.”

He’s right. “The struggle in Western North Carolina is far from over,” Smith added. “It’s a call for all Americans to pay attention. In a system built to fail, what’s left is each other.”

The residents of WNC haven’t lost their independence or spirit. They demonstrate what it truly means to be free.