Dr. Phil McGraw, author and well-known television personality, said Samaritan's Purse and other private organizations stepped up efforts to help people in western North Carolina, mobilizing quickly before government aid arrived. is praised. It's “America at its best,” he said.
McGraw, known as “Dr. Phil” on the TV series, posted multiple videos on his social media channels. The videos were taken from the scene in devastated areas where roads have been washed away, cutting off countless communities from the outside world. Power lines were down due to flooding from Hurricane Helen. Many areas still lack electricity, water, and mobile phone service.
“All those orange shirts you see around me and behind me are Samaritan's purses,” McGraw said in one video shot in the basement of his flooded home. McGraw worked in conjunction with Samaritan's Purse.
“I'm telling you, they're not meeting to fill out forms or plan meetings or move anything forward. Their sentences have verbs in them. They have a spring in their step and are trying to make things happen.'' FEMA, everyone else is talking and thinking, no, they're not Samaritan's Purse, they're doing something. Noda. ”
my team is @mr_street and I formed a team @SamaritansPurse and our friends @MichaelStore To deliver supplies, generators, and a helping hand to those affected by the hurricane. I would like to express my special gratitude to @TimKennedyMMA Please guide us in the right direction. a lot… pic.twitter.com/fVzHsi47bo
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) October 6, 2024
Samaritan's Purse is a Christian relief organization led by Franklin Graham. Relief workers have been dispatched to six states affected by Helen, including North Carolina.
Samaritan's Purse coordinates air transportation to many locations in North Carolina and East Tennessee.
McGraw said Western North Carolina has been largely forgotten by the rest of the country.
“People in other parts of the country are going about their lives because this is out of sight and out of mind,” McGraw said. “We don't want that to happen. … They need us. They need our help. They need our support.”
But McGraw said she has been encouraged by the neighborly love in the area. He spoke to hundreds of people throughout mountain towns that were “completely cut off from civilization.”
“They have no power. They will have no power for four to six months,” he said. “We arrived by plane and brought generators, food, water and supplies. [I] No one talked about being a victim. Not a single person talked about whether the person they were helping as a neighbor or being helped by a neighbor was a Democrat or a Republican. I didn't care about pronouns, politics, anything. All they cared about was that they were all American. Neighbors needed help and were giving help. They needed help and they were getting it.
The devastation in these hurricane-affected areas is truly heartbreaking, but the solidarity we see among these Americans through the aid provided and received is extremely moving. It's a target. More coverage to come.#North Carolina pic.twitter.com/DgMCf5Tvou
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) October 6, 2024
“What a lesson about what life is all about. What an uplifting thing to see the spirit of these people. What a lesson in the face of disaster, in the face of losing everything. I'm really tired, but I'm really inspired by the strength of these people. ”
Graham said Sunday that Samaritan's Purse had completed 67 helicopter missions “delivering water, food, blankets, generators, fuel, medicine and more” to hurricane victims.
“Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support,” Graham said. “Neighbor helping neighbor continues – in the name of Jesus!”
I'm at a nearby runway @SamaritansPurse Headquartered in Boone, North Carolina, as of today, the company has completed 67 helicopter missions delivering water, food, blankets, generators, fuel, medical supplies and more to isolated areas affected by Hurricane Helen. We also delivered… pic.twitter.com/u9bZnF9wlr
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) October 7, 2024
Photo credit: ©X/Dr. Phil
michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.
