Suwan Nanoa, North Carolina –

It’s been a little over 10 months since Hurricane Helen hit western North Carolina, and the area is starting to feel livable again.

“For months, all I could see was dirt through a 2×4,” shares Vince Floriani, an elementary school teacher and homeowner. “You might not see much now, but it’s progress—that’s the reality of it.”

Floriani rents out a duplex in Beacon Village. He mentions that one resident is a disabled veteran, while another is a refugee from Nicaragua who moved in September 2024.

North Carolina man living in a tent after Hurricane Helen

Both tenants were home when the storm struck. John Thompson, the disabled veteran, believed it was his dream home.

Thompson reflected on his tumultuous past and the traumas he faced, just before Hurricane Helen flooded through his front door. “I went out the back and literally swam off the porch,” he recounts.

Despite his own struggles, he felt compelled to help his neighbors, even those he couldn’t see.

WNC River Town welcomes back visitors post-Helen

Thompson even helped a neighbor who had climbed onto the roof of the adjacent duplex. Eventually, he found the courage to plunge into the raging river to seek help, worried about losing his home.

Both Thompson and his neighbors managed to survive.

“He saved that woman’s life—John Thompson’s a hero,” says Floriani.

Floriani and volunteers are working under the sweltering heat to rebuild their homes.

In Beacon Village, numerous volunteers are dedicated to restoring the community. One of the many groups assisting is “Excellent Together,” a coalition designed to help homeowners get back on their feet.

“Valley Hope Church has repaired over 150 homes,” states Lindsay Burnett, director of relief and recovery at the church. “We’ve rebuilt two homes from the ground up.”

Burnett adds that they are still receiving volunteer requests, mentioning that “volunteers are scheduled until September each week.”

Floriani expressed his surprise at the overwhelming support from people across the nation. “They genuinely want to help without asking questions. It’s inspiring and profound,” he admits.

The Beacon Village community is also raising funds to assist neighbors in returning home through the Save Beacon Village website.

Helen’s devastated river town reopens for visitors: “It felt like a victory.”

According to the state’s Department of Commerce, the Renew NC single-family housing program had received 348 applications as of July 1.

This program opened for applications for just a few weeks (after June 16) and requires reviews to meet federal HUD grant standards. Construction on the first home is expected to begin later this summer.

Mission Sheds, a 501(c)(3), has delivered 52 sheds in the Western North Carolina area, providing essential items such as food and clothing.

Four days following an EF-4 tornado in London, Mission Shed founder Ed Johnson mobilized efforts to build and deliver sheds to affected families, completing several trips for this purpose.

Founder Ed Johnson said he felt a calling to start Mission Shed following Helen.

Johnson noted that volunteers from around the globe have joined the cause, with companies like Best Buy Metals donating materials for 80 sheds, which have been crucial to their mission.