On September 27, in the early morning, the winds of Tropical Cyclone Helene drove full force through our mountain home. I never would have believed that the worst flooding in North Carolina’s history would be in western North Carolina. The devastation has been overwhelming, but the strength, resilience, and kindness of our people is even more powerful than the storm.
Although my husband and I are still without power or water, we are grateful to have generators that are providing us intermittently with enough electricity to keep our refrigerator cold enough and allow us to have hot meals. Neighborhoods all over are banding together to continue search and rescue, begin the long task of cleanup, and tackle the tree removal. In our little subdivision, we had six trees down but in less than half a day, we had removed the big trees from the road, enabling us to get out of the neighborhood. People from all over the United States have flocked to our aid, not asking what race, religion, or political persuasion we are. Food, water, household supplies are pouring in. Workers of all kinds are lending their aid. We even have pack mules that usually escort tourists supplies into the mountains now getting life-saving supplies to communities trapped by flood waters and inaccessible roads.
My daughter, who lives about twelve miles from us, had power back on Tuesday after the storm. That was October 1, the day I was supposed to publish Teach. Write. Obviously, it was not to be, but here we are just a bit over a week later, and she has all utilities, cell, and WIFI back, so we’re about to hold our first of many recovery celebrations around a campfire, just happy to be alive and relatively unscathed, planning ways to help our neighbors and our beautiful home recover. Here I am, sitting at her kitchen table, about to hit “Publish” and then go join my family around the campfire.
So grateful!