"The lifestyle we once cherished here has vanished": Helene wreaks havoc in western North Carolina. Neighborhoods are joined forces to reconstruct.
On a Saturday morning, he jumped into his vehicle and commenced his journey towards his parents' residence, situated in a picturesque location in the North Carolina mountains between Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland. This area, typically secluded and peaceful, is approximately an hour's drive from Asheville.
As Perkins shared in a post, "This blessed spot in the mountains is my parents' home. Under ordinary circumstances, the area is so isolatingly charming." He continued, "Unbeknownst to me, Helene had left ruin and destruction in her wake in this beautiful yet secluded location. Roads, homes, and utilities networks lay in ruins, making the area completely cut off from resources in every direction."
The devastation caused by Helene claimed at least 93 lives across the southeastern United States, according to CNN's tally. North Carolina was one of the hardest hit, with continuous flooding turning roads into waterways, leaving many in need of essentials and putting a strain on state resources.
Gov. Roy Cooper described the situation as "one of the worst storms in modern history." While aid was deployed, an astonishing 280 roads remained closed due to the calamity, making it difficult for relief efforts to reach affected areas, Cooper mentioned.
Realizing the extent of the devastation, Perkins parked his vehicle near a closed highway at the base of the mountain and began hiking towards his parents' home.
"I investigated every off-road route I could, but no matter where I went, roads were obstructed by landslides or had collapses, or were covered in deep mudslides," Perkins explained. "As I moved along, I encountered several individuals trapped by the flooded highway. For more than three-and-a-half hours, I trekked 11 miles and climbed 2,200 feet to finally reach my parents' home."
Overjoyed to find his parents safe, Perkins expressed his relief. "I have never felt so grateful to witness anyone's wellbeing," he expressed, adding that his parents, both in their 70s, displayed remarkable resilience.
Perkins informed CNN that his parents had enough food, but were running low on water. He also estimated that the power restoration would take weeks in their region.
After confirming his parents' safety, Perkins decided to return to the bottom of the mountain. Fog and rain settled in, and he didn't want to deplete his parents' supplies. On his way back down, he was fortunate enough to hitch a ride on an undamaged portion of a road with a community member.
The community, he said, was warmly supportive, reflecting the true spirit of Southern Hospitality.
His mother managed to send him a message on Sunday, focusing on acquiring supplies for their neighbors.
"I'm still trying to understand the magnitude of this disaster. Power could be weeks away. I can't comprehend how long DOT (Department of Transportation) will require to repair the curvy mountain roads," Perkins concluded.
‘The life we built here no longer exists’
In neighboring McDowell County, just beyond Buncombe County and the flood-ravaged city of Asheville, at least 30 lives were lost due to the storm.
Over 20 air rescues were conducted in McDowell County since early Saturday morning, the county's emergency management reported in a Saturday news release.
The torrential rains prompted the Swannanoa River to overflow, causing floods in McDowell County as well as other areas in the region.
Jim and Allie Bourdy had only recently moved into the Beacon Village home, nestled beside the river, when the Swannanoa River overpowered its banks and destroyed everything they owned.
"We lost everything," Jim Bourdy informed CNN on Sunday. "We lost both our cars and a small utility camper. The life we built here is now a memory."
Attempts to evacuate on Friday evening were unsuccessful due to flooding, said Boudy. Stuck at home with their dog, Piper, they attempted to gather essentials and formulate a plan.
Soon, however, the water started seeping into their home. "We were standing on our front porch when the water reached our waist," said Bourdy, now carrying Piper on his back.
As the water climbed higher, the only option for survival was climbing onto their neighbor's roof, which was slightly lower than theirs. After climbing onto the roof, they called 911 but were informed that no rescue team could reach them.
Approximately an hour later, a neighbor from a neighboring kayak rescue mission took them both to dry ground, saving them from imminent disaster.
Bourdy described his immediate feelings on reaching safety, "The moment I stepped onto dry land, I knew that the only three things in my life that matter were my wife, my dog, and the love we have for each other."
After spending a night in a shelter, Bourdy returned to his destroyed home on Sunday to salvage whatever possessions he could, but he ultimately had to discard most of their belongings.
"Man, everything's just wiped out, ain't it? The flood water reached the gutters," he stated.
"We're without power, no running water, and no cell signal"
Holding onto some firewood, Meredith Keisler, a nurse from a local school in Asheville, spoke to CNN: "Got this wood 'cause we've got a grill, to make a fire, to cook up some grub."
"Never seen anything like this before," Keisler continued, "no electricity, water or cell service here."
It seems this sentiment is shared by many in the community.
Michelle Coleman, in-charge of a local religious outreach organization, Asheville Dream Center, shared a similar sentiment with CNN: "I've never seen Asheville in this state before. This is the most devastating thing I've ever witnessed in our city."
"Our prayer is that people don't lose hope because our community is coming together. Asheville's a tough community," Coleman added.
Gary O'Dell, a disabled veteran from the Vietnam War, managed to leave his East Asheville home for the first time on Sunday due to the debris. However, he emphasized, "The neighbors have been fantastic. We've got a great neighborhood."
O'Dell shared that he's been sharing his oxygen tank with a neighbor. "My neighbor ran out of oxygen, worse off than I am," O'Dell, battling lung cancer, said. He also mentioned that his daughter lost her home due to the floods.
"There's so many worse off than me. We're lucky, we've still got our home and we're dry and safe," O'Dell added.
Lucy Tavernier, part of a team helping out with the clean-up, described the area as "looking like the bottom of a river."
"It's all covered in trash, trees, and mud, and it stinks," she commented.
On her front lawn, Tavernier recalled seeing what she believed to be items from a store she used to visit nearby. She believes the place might have been swept away in the storm.
CNN's Sara Smart, Isabel Rosales, Rafael Romo, Jade Gordon, Sharif Paget, Ashley R. Williams, Raja Razek, and Zoe Sottile contributed to this report.
In his post, Perkins mentioned how the area around his parents' home was typically secluded and charming under ordinary circumstances, showing that they consider this place as 'our' or 'their' area.
After the calamity, Perkins expressed gratitude towards the community's support, reflecting the true spirit of Southern Hospitality, demonstrating that they are part of this 'community'.
