A North Carolina man's life was forever changed in a matter of moments when Hurricane Helen's devastating floods took his wife's life and left him and their four children behind.
“All of a sudden I heard something. It sounded like an explosion, and my wife and I ran through the house and the back door shattered,” Jamie Guinn told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. he said. “So I ran to the garage to get something that was blocking the garage, and the garage was gone.”
Guinn was sheltering in place with his wife, Melissa, and 8-year-old son, River, in their home in Minneapolis, North Carolina, when the chaos erupted on Friday, September 27th. Guinn said his home overlooks the river, and he had been watching it all morning when everything collapsed.
“It sounded like a cannon going off. All I remember was the houses falling around me and crushing me,” Guinn continued. “And I remember screaming for my little son. And I heard him screaming. And somehow, I dug where the house was about to fall into the river and I found him. I did.”
Johnson slams Biden administration's 'terrible failure' in assisting Hurricane Helen victims
A North Carolina man says his wife died in flooding from Hurricane Helen over the weekend and is recovering. (Elizabeth Hensley Facebook)
Guinn said he was able to rescue his son and saw his wife sitting on top of their home, but that was the last time he saw her alive.
“And my wife was still at the top where the house was, and she screamed at me, 'Baby, be careful!' So I grabbed my little son and put him on his back because I thought it was another slide. I tried to throw him, but when I looked back to collect myself, he was gone,” Guinn said, fighting back tears.
“So I went screaming and screaming for her and I couldn't find my little son. He turned around and just said to me, 'Daddy, I think mommy is gone.'” Guinn explained. “So we kept screaming for her and no one could find her. And at that time, I can't even remember if part of the house remained or was gone. Everything was… I was in a daze.”
Hurricane Helen: North Carolinians fight to survive as essential goods run out
Jamie Guinn, a father of four, lost his wife Melissa when they were swept away from their home in North Carolina by Hurricane Helen's flood waters. (Elizabeth Hensley Facebook)
Guinn and her son were able to seek shelter at a nearby neighbor's house. Although Guinn suffered a fractured vertebrae and a laceration to his head that became infected, he said no pain was harder to endure than losing Melissa.
“She was my absolute best friend. I really don't know how I would do without her. We spent every day together. Everything I did, she was just like any other friend. '' Guinn said. . “Going from having that person in your life every day to being gone in literally the blink of an eye shows how often you take being with someone for granted. Masu.”
Guinn said he and Melissa have been together for 17 years and will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in a few weeks. He proposed around Halloween, and they exchanged small gifts every year.
North Carolina community 'searching' for missing teacher in 'devastating' aftermath of Hurricane Helen
Jamie Guinn lost his wife of nearly 10 years Saturday when he was swept away by Hurricane Helen's flood waters. (Elizabeth Hensley Facebook)
“We always say I love you during the day, we always did, honestly. And each time, I always wrote back 'I love you more,' so this year I gave her a little plaque with lots of reasons why it really meant it.” Guinn said. The best mother and wife any of us could have hoped for. ”
Guinn said she still can't believe that her community was hit so hard by Helen, something no one expected would happen.
“It's completely unfathomable how much the river level has risen. It's hard to describe in words what it was like. It shouldn't happen here. It won't happen here,” Guinn said. said. “I don't even know where I'm going to start picking up the pieces after this.”
Despite all the heartache and devastation, Guinn said it was wonderful to see the community come together for each other through this tragedy.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I hate to say it, but I think our community is stronger than we've ever seen it. Everybody's always been here for each other, but at this level. It's really amazing how much everybody steps in.'' Please help us, and everyone else around them is just… It's just, I don't know how to explain it. I don't even know what it is,” Guinn said.
A GoFundMe page has been created by Guinn's friends and family to help with medical bills and other financial burdens.
hurricane helen At least 232 people were killed as the storm battered the Southeast, 72 of them from Buncombe County. Hundreds more people are still missing from the devastating hurricane, the deadliest in the continental United States since Katrina in 2005.
