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Stories
The Hurricane Helene Archive brings together a collection of media contributed by community members, researchers, and historians. Use this page to explore firsthand accounts, images, and documents that offer insight into the storm, its impacts, and recovery efforts.
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Through the Lens of Heritage
UnknownThis interview captures the powerful story of Caleb Hignite, a folk musician and ethnomusicologist who transformed his deep connection to Appalachian culture into a mission of documentation and advocacy following Hurricane Helene. From his roots in folk music and banjo playing to his extensive photographic documentation of the storm's aftermath, Hignite shares his experiences of witnessing devastation in rural communities like Mitchell County's Green Mountain and Red Hill. The conversation explores how traditional music provided solace during recovery, his work with the Appalachian Reclamation Alliance, and his belief that we are currently experiencing the fourth major folk revival movement in American history—one born from societal tensions and the need for authentic cultural connection. -
When the Creek Became a River: A Hurricane Helene StoryUnknownAudio from BRAHM - Hurricane Helene Listening Day in the High Country Heather Higgins a resident of western Watauga County, shares her deeply personal account of Hurricane Helene's impact on her life and community. Living alone in a working-class area, Heather was dealing with her dying dog when neighbors gave her just 30 minutes to evacuate before roads became impassable. Her story captures the complex emotions of survival—from initial gratitude for being spared major damage to guilt over her neighbors' greater losses, and the lasting depression that followed. The interview reveals the uneven distribution of disaster impact within communities and the psychological toll of witnessing widespread destruction. Heather's experience highlights the isolation many felt when outside help was slow to arrive, leaving communities to rely entirely on each other. The centerpiece of her testimony is a haunting journal entry she wrote months after the storm, a poetic reflection on how the disaster transformed both the physical landscape and her emotional connection to the mountains she calls home. Her words capture the lasting trauma of watching "beauty buried beneath the rubble" and the ongoing struggle to process profound change in a place that once provided spiritual sustenance.
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Helene in Southern Appalachian Story Map
UnknownThis story map was created by NOAA and contains lots of images, data and narrative about the impacts of Helene in our region. -
Interview of Annie WillisUnknownAnnie and a few others from Boone United Methodist Church went to a cleanup 09/13/2025. I interviewed Annie one year post-hurricane to see what emotions the cleanup brought back.
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Bethel aftermath
UnknownPhotos from the Bethel area near the NC/TN boarder in the days after the storm. -
Doc Watson
UnknownI live in downtown Boone and after a tree came down on my property, cutting off power and leaving me wondering when the next tree might fall, I decided to put on all of my rain gear and walk downtown. I walked where I could for about an hour taking pictures and video and checking on friends' businesses. As I was heading home at about 11:30 am, the rain picked up heavily again and I decided to take cover under an awning just behind the Doc Watson statue on King St. From that perspective I took a picture of Doc, playing his guitar as the floodwaters poured through the intersection of King and Depot streets. -
From flood to relief
UnknownI am currently enrolled at Appalachian State University and My apartment that I was living in is located right next to the Walmart in Boone. The first floor got completely flooded, the water inside my apartment reach above the feet in depth. My roommate and myself were able to save some of our valuables such as computers and our cars but most of possessions where lost. I am enlisted in the air national guard as a c 17 loadmaster and when I got the notification that we were being called to deliver supply’s to Asheville I took it. In a matter of 3 days I went from having my apartment flooded to delivering over 100,000lbs of hurricane relief supplies -
How the community's support inspired me
UnknownWhile I was fortunate not to suffer personal losses during the storm that swept through our town, the widespread destruction I witnessed left a profound impact on me. Houses were damaged, trees lay scattered like sticks, and the streets were filled with lives disrupted. My connection to the local community deepened as I actively engaged in outreach and volunteered my time to support those in need before the storm. For several days, I wrestled with an overwhelming sadness resulting from the devastation, reflecting on its impact on our neighbors, friends, and our community. Despite the despair that hung in the air, I felt a powerful urge to restore hope and positivity to Boone. I drew strength from my relationships with local organizations and community members who shared a common goal of recovery and resilience. Eager to make a difference, I initially looked to volunteer with multiple organizations, but I encountered significant barriers. Finding volunteer applications online proved to be a difficult task, and unanswered phone calls added to my sense of urgency and determination. Despite these obstacles, I pressed on with my mission to assist those in need. Over time, it became evident that many organizations were overwhelmed with requests for help, making it clear that non profits were overwhelmed at the moment. Recognizing the importance of self-care during this journey, I took a brief respite at my dad's house on the other side of the state to recharge both physically and mentally. At the time of the hurricane, I served as the service chair for the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) at Appalachian State University, an organization devoted to enabling leadership, recognition, and service within our campus community. While the storm temporarily halted our scheduled activities, I took hold of the opportunity to resurrect our organization as Boone began to recover. I worked diligently to organize a volunteer day with Samaritan's Purse, a well respected nonprofit focused on disaster relief efforts. This not only breathed new life into our organization but also revitalized a sense of hope within the local community. On that impactful day, we united as a group to clear fallen tree trunks and debris from a resident's yard, embracing the spirit of teamwork and collaboration. I recalled how satisfying it felt to see smiles return to the faces of residents as we worked side by side with them. Prior to my work with NRHH, I had already volunteered with Samaritan's Purse just two weeks after the storm, helping to distribute vital relief supplies and support families wrestling with the aftermath. My efforts included dedicating time to Anna Bananas, where I folded clothing for those in need, ensuring that each item was prepared with care. At Hunger and Health, I cleaned prescription bottles and sorted meal packages for local families, ensuring that those who were struggling received the food they required. Additionally, I worked at the Green Valley Community Park in Todd, assisting in cleaning trails to remove unwanted debris, allowing that space to be restored for community enjoyment. The unwavering spirit of the community surrounding me, even in their struggles, fueled my desire to conduct more service. As a result, my commitment to service continues to thrive today, driven by the connections I’ve cultivated, whether I’m organizing campus clean-ups or crafting blankets for patients at our local medical center. Through these diverse efforts, I aim to develop a spirit of community and resilience, ensuring that we emerge stronger together in our ongoing recovery journey. -
Helene’s impact on the Hispanic CommunityUnknownThe one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene nears for Erwin, TN. The Hispanic community was hit especially hard — many lived in low-lying, flood-prone areas and worked jobs that offered little protection or support during the disaster. As time passes, we can’t forget who was most affected, and why. Many in the Hispanic community faced barriers that others didn’t — language gaps, and being overlooked in media and search efforts. As we remember those lost, we also recognize that not everyone was searched for equally. That truth matters. Their truth matters too. The following videos were sent to me by friends who were out searching for missing people, the damage is unfathomable to anyone who didn’t see it with their eyes. May all the people who lost their lives rest peacefully. Helene was a tragedy for all affected communities in eastern TN and western NC, but don't let the people most affected in Erwin be overlooked a second time.
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Trapped
UnknownI was in my house with my three roommates and some of their band members when Helene started to impact Boone. Nobody was prepared. We didn’t have any food or any drinking water. We were all hungry and bored so we decided to walk the streets and see the aftermath of the storm. First, we saw a giant tree had fallen in our front yard. Then we saw a big group of people walking down the road. We stopped to talk to them. They said that if we took a left, we would see that the road was blocked by a major pothole. Nobody could get in or out on that side. They were going to see if they could walk the other direction to get off Bamboo road and hopefully get some food. So we walked with them. While we were walking, we saw the rushing water. The water was moving so fast, it could have easily swept someone away. When we got to the neighborhood near Hatchet Coffee, we saw trucks and houses almost completely under water. We stopped to take the devastation in. We saw families trying to climb out of the woods. It was horrible. We tried to help but they had just made it out as we got to them. We continued on our journey down the road. As we were walking, we saw the water rushing down again, only the river was way too big. It engulfed the land next to it. We saw an upside down semi-truck. Houses that were up on a hill looked as if they weren’t anymore. That’s when we noticed we couldn’t go any further. The water started to take over the street. There was a group of people watching the water, wondering how they would get out. We were stuck on both sides. I could only describe us as trapped. We waited for hours until the water went down and we could get some food. We ate dry ramen and played card games to pass the time. We were very fortunate that our house was not affected too much by the storm. I unfortunately could not say the same for everyone around us. -
Hurricane Helene Family Story
UnknownHurricane Helene Family Story My name, as I go by in my daily life, is Wyntre. This is my story, and my family's story, of the impacts of Hurricane Helene on our lives. Before the storm (Sept 25–26, 2024): On September 25, 2024, our household was already in crisis before the hurricane. I experienced severe myoclonic tremors that caused me to break a window. Our service dog Buddy injured his paw, which required vet care and slowed his training. My partner Cat had just started at a pain clinic for EDS, degenerative disc disease, and myasthenia gravis. She was approved for short-term disability around August, 2024, though the financial impact left us struggling. These were the conditions we were in BEFORE Hurricane Helene struck. During the storm: Helene hit our area on September 26–27, 2024. I had been tracking Helene on Accuweather, NOAA, NHC, WMO, NWS, etc. I knew she was going to make landfall in Florida the next morning, and noticed how large she was and her pathing. So we called the non emergency police line to ask about shelters, evacuations, preparations for people who have medical devices and will need power if it goes out, etc. With the county under a state of emergency, we were put on an "evacuation" list so if evacuations become mandatory they will helicopter us if they have to. We were told there weren't any shelters as they weren't expecting "anything that bad", They told us if we are worried to write our names and Identifying information on our bodies in sharpie. We lost power, communication, and access to reliable information around 5 to 6 am in the morning on September 27th. A transformer blew and that was the last time we had power. I did try to call 911 but the connection was fuzzy and she kept repeating back the wrong address. After that, no attempts connected at all. Flooding and storm damage made travel unsafe. Roads were blocked by piles of trees that fell. 6 or 7 huge forest trees laid one on top of the other every few feet along the roads, making natural dams. Portions of the road flooded away entirely, and some areas didn’t even have a full lane left. Bridges were flooded or missing completely. Even today, some of these areas are still just gaps in the roads. Medical care and supplies became inaccessible (Medical machines that need power or clean water, medications that need kept chilled, etc.) During the storm, My partner Catherine and I took shelter in a bathroom with our service (neuro alert) dog, Buddy, while trees fell and water rose. Suzy and Anthony sheltered with Luna and the other dogs we had at the time in the larger bathroom. At one point Cat and I used our daughters mattress to cover our heads from falling trees and debris. Our daughter was luckily with her other parents in TN during the storm, and wasn’t caught in it or harmed. When someone finally did show up from EMS, they had to hike up the road to use their satellite walkie talkies because the service here just *didn't* exist. Immediate aftermath: On September 29th we were evacuated from Boone, NC, by ambulance, requiring EMTs to hike us a half-mile over trees and through water because roads were impassable. We stayed at the hospital as a makeshift shelter until October 1st, when my family "rescued" us. Our dogs were left behind and later rescued by Cat and some kind neighbors who helped personally get her back to the damaged home despite the road conditions, then transported to the humane society. This happened while still at the hospital. Suzy was actually admitted for a few days, so we were there a couple nights. Both cars were lost—one to a tree, the other to lightning. The house sustained minimal structural damage, but walls bubbled and peeled from the foundation, and bathrooms leaked. There was some damage outside as well. Minimal damage can still be catostrophic when struggling financially. My mother, brother, and his partner drove a two-car caravan through treacherous conditions to bring us to a family home in Tennessee, which was good short term but not sustainable long term. We opened a FEMA Case from the hospital during the evacuation, and I remember when I first tried and I put in North Carolina, it said “No disasters in your area, sorry”. It wasn’t until I tried again later that night that it actually worked. Our insurance company initially denied coverage, claiming the house was fine based on a distant photo. FEMA inspection was rescheduled due to us being across state borders and unable to meet with the agent. Mutual aid was the only support we could rely on. Traditional disaster response in our area was limited or delayed. On December 9th, 2024, FEMA inspected the house, and we awaited correspondence. On December 10th, 2024, Legal Aid called to discuss Medicaid and food stamp representation. On December 11th, 2024, our appeal for hurricane damage coverage was denied due to "insufficient damages." We relied on community donations through Patreon, Medium, and GoFundMe to address immediate survival needs. On October 19, 2024, my wheelchair broke while at a FEMA hotel. Cat helped secure a free replacement wheelchair through a hurricane relief program with Mac's Medicine Mart, and I’m still using it to this day. I’m forever thankful to Rob from Mac’s medicine mart! Our FEMA hotel → Self Paying Hotel stays line up as follows October 18th - Transfer from Self Paid to FEMA hotel (they didn’t have any rooms available until this date) for Cat and I while Suzy and Anthony opted to stay with my family close by until our second hotel room got approved. October 20th - All 4 household members are reunited and living the FEMA hotel in TN. Jan 20th - Boone Hotel Cat/Me/Buddy - Self Pay 🔶Movement 🔶January 10th I talked to a TSA agent through FEMA. 🧑🏻🦽: "We need an extension." 👺: "Your home is deemed livable. Try a hospital, and if it's an emergency try 911." 🔶 January 14th 🔸FEMA stops paying and we begin paying out of pocket 🔶 January 15th 🔸Operation boots on the ground reaches out to me promising help and huge things. We cry and trust them. 🔷Hotel coverage: 🔹Week 1: We payed for and Cats grandma covered the difference. Operation Boots on the Ground begins working with us and our damaged home 🔹Week 2: We used points from the hotel reward program to get us like a week 🔹Week 3: We use more hotel reward points to book a Hotel in Boone, our hometown. Putting us closer to the damaged address while OBOTG work continues. Ongoing impact (Early 2025 to Present:): The year 2025 began with a blizzard. Our home was still without floors (which had taken subfloor damage from the storm). FEMA approved a used car before a government freeze, restoring some mobility. Cat's grandma helped with hotel costs. While Operation Boots on the Ground and Samaritan's Purse initially offered help with home repairs, Samaritan's Purse ultimately denied us assistance due to "gender orientation reasons". On February 16, 2025, I broke my left forearm after falling off a hotel sidewalk while trying to navigate around a woman blocking a wheelchair ramp. I underwent emergency surgery for a comminuted, shortened, angulated, and displaced mid-shaft fracture, requiring metal plates and screws. My service dog, Buddy, was present and helpful in the ER. Luna and Buddy were the only two dogs we were able to get across the mountains during our hotel stays. The FEMA allowances for our family was 2 rooms, and the hotel policy was one animal per room, service or non. So we only were able to reunite with two of our dogs. The others all were adopted out of the humane society and have found forever homes. By March 2025, Suzy and Anthony, along with Luna, had moved into our hurricane-damaged home with Cat and me. Cat and I had returned with Buddy shortly after the broken arm incident due to FEMA and Hotel assistance finally running out, leaving us no other option. For a short time WAMY provided a Camper for Suzy, Anthony, and Luna, but this also was short term. WAMY Still contacts us to try to help on occasion. By May 2025, we had a working stove and toilet in the master bathroom again, thanks to a new kind helper. Cat cooked our first non-microwaved meal since Helene. Recovery has been slow. Even a year later, we are still dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial fallout. Our medical needs remain high, and storm-related disruptions worsened ongoing conditions. We continue to live with storm trauma layered on top of existing disabilities. Archiving this story matters to us because disabled and marginalized survivors are often left out of the official narrative of disaster response and recovery. Videos: Part 1: Long Form: Storm and Initial Evacuation https://youtu.be/1_6PVrXHpXE Part 2: Long Form: Hospital and Evacuation https://youtu.be/ibQCPCh_yY0 Part 3: Short Form: Weather Alerts https://youtube.com/shorts/sYcZ0zAuTRo Part 4: Short Form: Before and After the Storm https://youtube.com/shorts/TttNvnXjWrM Part 5: Short TikTok: 4 Months Later https://www.tiktok.com/@eternal.nyx/video/7469298865741516062 Part 5: Short TikTok: 9 Months Later https://www.tiktok.com/@eternal.nyx/video/7524772309941357854 -
Helene
UnknownI am a college student attending Appalachian State University in Boone NC. Below is a written account of my experience as a student in the town of Boone during Hurricane Helene, as well as what I learned about our community in the aftermath of disaster. -
Red Cross Shelter Operations 27 Sept 2024
UnknownAttached is the description I sent via email to my friends and family just a few days after the flooding of 27 Sept 2024. I was manning the Red Cross Shelter in Watauga County on the 27th and the days immediately after. This email describes what I observed at the first shelter at the Alliance Bible Fellowship and the move to the second shelter at the App State Convocation Center. -
Before and After
UnknownMassive landslide behind the house knocked it off the fou dation about 30' and rotated it. -
Stronger than the storm, AGAIN
UnknownPicture of Mazie Lewis. 11 year old with aggressive brain cancer post brain surgery, radiation and chemotherapy helping clean out her mamaws basement after severe flooding from Hurricane Helene. She was a light to many offering a kind word, uplifting drawing and a lending hand in her own fight for her life. concerned about others wellbeing after the storm and ready to help through her own suffering. -
Images of Clean Up after the stormUnknownImages of what it is like to clean up property damaged by the storm