Witnessing the compassionate response of Asheville residents and North Carolinians as a whole, following the tragedy of Helene.
After the damage, they've deployed pack animals with supplies to remote areas that are inaccessible. They've offered shelter to numerous stranded residents and figured out different methods to distribute food once they lost everything.
With hundreds of emergency responders and National Guard troops deployed to Asheville and surrounding areas to assist with the expected prolonged recovery from Helene, here's how neighbors and strangers are supporting each other:
He opened his century-old lodge for individuals seeking refuge
Hoyt Johnson transformed his 100-year-old lodge situated in North Carolina's Little Switzerland, a mountainous unincorporated village around 30 miles northeast of Asheville, into a temporary shelter. The giant 42-room Big Lynn Lodge became a safe haven for dozens of displaced residents and travelers post-storm.
Johnson stated, "I'm just doing what I can for people." He's been the owner for 14 years and mentioned that both his neighbors and employees lost everything. "I'd never imagined something like this would happen."
Johnson said the lodge even had hot water, but without electricity. Fortunately, helicopters delivered generators, water, food, diapers, and medical supplies. He made eight rooms available for showers, set up a first aid station, a cellphone charging station, and started preparing countless warm meals.
"There's no greed here, no panic. Everyone's just working together," Johnson said.
He's distributing food and searching for survivors by kayak
Mason Hargrove explained he's navigated violent rapids in North Carolina's Green River to reach individuals trapped by mudslides. The notoriously tough and dangerous Green River, located approximately 30 miles southeast of Asheville, posed challenges even for helicopters.
As a freestyle kayaking champion and with fellow kayak enthusiasts, Hargrove carried supplies down the Green River, searched for survivors, and hiked through steep and muddy mountains while carrying produce, gasoline, and propane to hard-to-reach areas.
"As professional kayakers, we can assess the risk, what is viable, and what's not feasible, depending on the mission for that day and the objective," Hargrove said. "We'll do as much as we can to help these people out while also keeping ourselves safe to avoid adding to the problem."
Hargrove also met people whose houses were hit by landslides or fleeing flooded homes, providing medical assistance or helping them "find a way to continue living."
"I have a deep affection for people and want to help them. It's disheartening to see the pain and suffering, so I want to do all I can just to give back to the community that's given so much to me," Hargrove said. "Western North Carolina holds a special place in my heart, even though I'm not originally from here. This is my second home, and it's my mission to serve it."
Despite being destroyed, they continue helping others
The headquarters of the MANNA FoodBank in Asheville were flooded and destroyed, resulting in the loss of all food supplies and equipment, according to CEO Claire Neal. But within days, the team managed to collect donations and set up a new distribution center at the farmers' market.
"Individuals have come together in extraordinary ways to support their neighbors," Neal said. "I've always admired western North Carolina, as it's a community that takes care of its own, and we've seen that in spades. We've witnessed neighbors checking on neighbors, entire neighborhoods coming together to feed each other."
Neal encouraged donations of shelf-stable food, diapers, water, and various supplies to aid families in caring for themselves.
Mules are transporting aid to distressed victims
Packs of mules are helping deliver supplies to residents in North Carolina devastated by Helene, trekking through dangerous roads and high into the mountains.
According to the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch, the team transported insulin, cooled medicine, food, and various supplies like tarps, batteries, and lights to inaccessible areas. Mike Toberer, a ranch owner, told the Associated Press he brought over a dozen mules from his eastern North Carolina ranch to deliver food, water, and diapers to inaccessible mountain regions.
"We must remain focused on our initial mission and help as many as possible during this time of need," the ranch reported on Facebook after completing several trips in western North Carolina this week.
CNN’s Sara Smart and Melissa Alonso contributed to this story.
In the face of the collective effort, Hoyt Johnson, a local business owner, opened his century-old lodge to provide shelter for displaced residents and travelers, turning it into a temporary refuge for dozens of people.
Given the extensive damage, the MANNA FoodBank team, despite losing all their food supplies and equipment in the flooded headquarters, managed to collect donations and set up a new distribution center within days.
