Hurricane Helene Archive

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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  Hurricane Helene - Kailynn Bollinger's Experience

  This is an interview of Kailynn Bollinger, a junior music education major at Appalachian State University, about her experience of Helene and the impact it had on both her and the Boone community.
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  Nathan Rocheleau Hurricane Helene Experience

  A video file containing an interview between App State junior, Kaitlyn Bright, and another App State junior, Nathan Rocheleau.
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  Interview with Priscilla Dunn

  Priscilla Dunn, a Hickory, NC local and Appalachian State University Alumni had a unique Hurricane Helene story. Her son in law had an emergency surgery in Knoxville. She was coming back to Hickory from Knoxville to assist her daughter. The rivers were raging beside the roads. Then, she got stuck in a landslide on Black Mountain. She turned around to go back to Knoxville, and the Swannanoa River was 10 ft over the interstate. Pricilla stayed the night in Asheville because the police and firemen were overworked. She drove to Spartanburg the next day and then went through Charlotte to get home. She had driven the wrong way on the interstate, drove over power lines, tree branches, and swerved around them. But she also created a community for her own needs and for the needs of others.
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  faith through the flood

  I am in my undergradute and my major is communication
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  A PA Student's Helene Expirience

  I interviewed Abby Murphy on her experience as a PA student in Boone NC during Hurricane Helene. I have submitted the interview audio file along with a transcript of the interview.
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  The Bay of Sugar Grove

  Locals look out at the astonishing flood in the valley of Sugar Grove (near Watauga Bridge). During normal times, the river meanders through a small portion of that valley and stays at about 20 feet beneath that bridge. It looks more like a bay than a river valley.
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  Jackie Mace and her story of "Chaos"

  Interview Summary Participants ~ Dylan Jackson, Interviewer: Public Relations and Public Health major at Appalachian State University Jackie Mace, Interviewee: VP of Market Operations at Hopscotch Primary Care in Western NC Background and Introduction ~ Jackie has lived in Appalachia for about 10 years, moving from Minnesota to Maggie Valley and currently residing in the Marshall area. She works as VP of Market Operations for Hopscotch Primary Care, managing 11 clinics across Western NC. Her husband works for Buncombe County Schools. Pre-Hurricane Community Life for Jackie ~ Jackie described her community as close-knit but initially difficult to break into as a newcomer. Moving to the area in her 40s without a local support network was challenging, but her husband's local roots helped her integrate. Before the hurricane, the community already had a strong culture of mutual support and resilience. Experience During Hurricane Helene ~ Jackie had never experienced a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Helene. The most impactful aspect of the entire situation was the human response: neighbors and colleagues supporting each other with limited resources. The Hopscotch team, including out-of-state staff, worked together to check on employees, set up temporary infrastructure (like water tanks and porta-potties), and provide essential supplies to staff and patients. Jackie shared stories of extreme generosity, like a colleague who lost everything but still helped others. Personally, Jackie and her husband were without power or water for eight days. Their neighbors and family provided what they could, and the community rallied around each other. One powerful moment for her was relying on a small battery-powered radio, her only lifeline to the outside world, for storm updates and community news. Aftermath and Reflection ~ Jackie emphasized how the experience changed her perspective on life. Material things became less important; relationships, community, and mental well-being took center stage. She noticed increased friendliness and intentionality in her community since the storm, more casual conversations, more neighborly gestures, and deeper human connection. Jackie described her overall experience with Hurricane Helene in one word: chaos, but a chaos that revealed deep human resilience and unity. Interview Key Takeaways and Themes ~ Community Resilience: Despite widespread devastation, the community came together in extraordinary ways. Organizational Response: Hopscotch Primary Care prioritized employee well-being and patient care even amidst infrastructure collapse. Personal Growth: The storm served as a turning point for Jackie, reinforcing life priorities and personal strength. Preparation Lessons: Small tools like a radio made a massive difference; the experience emphasized the importance of being prepared and flexible in crisis situations.
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  Tyden Household Hurricane Experience

  I am a graduate student who goes to Appalachian State University and who also attended undergraduate school here as well. My partner and I had lived in Zionville for almost a year at the time when the hurricane hit. We are surrounded by people who keep Boone going—not by students. Our neighbors are families, retired couples, and farmers; we are the oddballs out here. We live with our two pets, a cat and a dog. When the hurricane hit hardest, it was in the night. I remember our AC going out. We live in an old cabin with no central AC or heat—we have a wood-burning stove for heat and in-unit ACs for summer. When the AC went out, it got hot quickly. I somehow went back to bed, but then was awoken again by a giant crash. I woke my partner, and we moved ourselves and the pets downstairs to the futon. At this point, our power was fully out, and it was hot and stuffy upstairs. We all ended up falling back asleep. When it was finally daylight, we were able to see what the big crash outside the house had been. An old shed behind the house had fallen during the night, but thankfully it hadn’t fallen on us. A thin tree had also fallen onto the porch but hadn’t damaged the house. We stayed inside for most of the day until the rain let up. My partner had a satellite phone, so we were able to contact our families to let them know we were safe. A thin tree was blocking our driveway, but we ventured out with our dog anyway. We checked on our neighbors, who were on their way to check on their church, which had apparently flooded badly. Another neighbor came by, soaked head to toe, to grab a chainsaw to help someone else. Across the way, our neighbor’s farm had turned into a river, and his cows had wandered into the hills, though they were safe. A whole trailer had been torn to pieces, and cars were floating by. People sped past on dirt bikes and four-wheelers, hollering to make sure we were okay. Construction equipment from people’s farms was already on the road, trying to clear the way. Farther down the road, we came to the flower farm, which was decimated. Their farm stand was gone, and the road was destroyed. On our way back home, several people told us there was only one way out, so we listened closely and took note to remember. Luckily, our neighbor across the way was a retired lineman, and the one next to us was a current lineman, and they warned it would be a long time before power came back on. So we decided the next day we were going to hack our way out of there and try to get through in our Prius. And miraculously—we did.
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  I woke in the dark water dripping in my bedroom, no electricity, my phone blinking low battery, no one beside me. Outside, the wind howled, rain slammed the windows. Inside, silence except the water rising to my ankles. My apartment, drowning. What should I do? How do I reach someone? How do I ask for help? I opened the door the storm stared back, wild and unforgiving. I packed a few clothes, stepped into the unknown, heading to my friend’s house. The road was passable, but the world had changed. Cows once grazing now swimming. Trees, homes submerged. I lost my place. Can I return? What about my things? What about my life?
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  The Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

  I remember Hurricane Helene very vividly. In the days leading up to the hurricane, I had no idea it was going to be as bad as it was. I hadn’t really been watching the news, and my mom kept texting me updates about the storm. Mind you, my family lives in the Wake Forest–Raleigh area. I remember telling her, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” She would text me incessantly again, I had no idea it was going to be as bad as it was. Nobody did. I brushed it off, thinking it was just going to be a short rainstorm. But little did I know the devastation that would follow. The night before, I didn’t think to get bottled water, non-perishables, or anything like that. All I had bought was toilet paper. I was ignorant. As anxious a person as I am, I’m usually much better at planning for the worst. This time, I wasn’t. And this time, I dealt with the consequences. The morning of September 27, my roommate and I woke up to a flooded basement. Our power had gone out. We were without food, water, or electricity. At that point, we began collecting rainwater just to have something to drink. We couldn’t call or text our families. We were completely disconnected from everyone, just the two of us, waiting for the storm to blow over. Around 4 p.m., the rain finally stopped. My roommate and I went outside to assess the damage. To the right of our house, the road above ours had collapsed, causing a major landslide that spilled into the middle of our street, blocking us in. The basement of a house below ours had flooded about five feet. The students living there had to break a window to let the water escape. Looking in the other direction, to the left of our house, a power line hung dangerously in the middle of the street. The wind had knocked over a tree, which had landed right on it. After seeing all the destruction Hurricane Helene had caused, my roommate and I began trying to clear the road so we could leave the neighborhood in search of food and water. A few of our neighbors were doing the same. As we tried to clear debris from under our car with a snow shovel, a college student from across the street approached us, asking for help. The poor guy looked pale, was shivering, clearly hungry, and dehydrated. He said he didn’t live at the house and that he was just staying with his buddies. They had no food or water, and he asked us for a ride. His car had been completely demolished. Debris, including a ping pong table, had been lodged underneath it. He couldn’t get out. His car had been parked at the house with five feet of flooding in the basement, so I could only imagine what it looked like. My roommates and I were fortunate to have only five inches of flooding. We lived in a duplex on a hill my roommate and I lived upstairs, and our two other roommates (two guys) lived on the bottom floor. Eventually, we cleared the debris from beneath our car and went in search of any places that might be open. Once we saw that there was power on campus, we stopped at The Market. Sheetz was open too, so that became our second stop, before taking the guy we helped back home. The next day, not knowing when our power would be back, I packed my things and left to stay with my family for the next few weeks.
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  Blairmont Lake

  The experience was truly wild. Being located above the floodplain and the greenway as well as right next to the hospital I often figured the storm would kind of pass us over. The storm never fully picked up until the morning of Thursday. When I woke up the water had risen another 10 feet nearly. It had to have been well over 20 feet from the floodplain. During the storm I was able to witness countless cars going by, gazebo’s, trees and so forth. It truly put the storm into perspective. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be in the area that I was in. As flat and open as the golf course was allowed the water to pass us over without decimating bridges, homes and other larger structures. The water had a way to go. I remember the water coming up over barns and well over the tops of road signs. It was also wild that no one else could have experienced what I did in that area. Everyone had a different view and situation. Standing by helpless watching everything pass was painful. Quickly after the store I remember checking on the houses close by and in the flood zone. The water and mud did not leave for months. The power lines remained across the road for up to two weeks. Being so close to the hospital I figured we would receive power quickly but it was out for a few weeks. Despite the storm I have never felt closer to my neighbors and to my community. It truly opened my eyes. Additionally going to Spruce Pine a week after to deliver supplies it blew my mind even more. There were steel I beams for factories or warehouses that were twisted like a bread tied around a 50 ft bridge, the water had come well over the top. Seeing the place that I had spent so much time visiting receiving it considerably worse than myself was hard. A bit of survivors guilt. The same for the Watuaga river past valle crucis. The flood plains truly saved my life and those around the main rivers were not so fortunate. It was heartbreaking. The video was used by some students down the mountain in Charlotte and Winston for school newspapers as the view was so alarming. It put the amount of water into perspective. I cannot imagine having being on a bend or river location.
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  Apartment Destruction

  At 5am on the day the hurricane first hit Boone, I felt my building shake as if an earthquake had struck. The noise was so loud I thought a bomb had gone off. A massive oak tree had completely destroyed half our apartment building, and we ran out of our room as we were hearing screaming coming from where the tree had struck. I pulled out guys from one of the apartments, and I saw that part of the tree had skewered through his bed. He was unharmed, which was a miracle from God. I will never forget that day.
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  Trees, mud and water

  Often times throughout the year in Boone, it's not uncommon for the power to go out. During the winter months the snow and ice covers the power lines and freezes the water lines. But an unclouded winter day or two usually brings the home back to normal. Normal. What isn't normal is the power going out and staying out. For 13 consecutive days. No water, no power, no wifi. Everything turned off. During the first day I thought it was just wind and rain. It was, but it was the strongest gusts and constant torrential downpour. In my parents neighborhood it took about 10 hours for the trees to start falling. And they kept falling. In the half mile circular neighborhood there were 30+ downed trees that needed clearing once the rain stopped. My stepdad, 2 of my friends and I spent 8 straight days running chainsaws and clearing logs and boughs. That was just to get a single lane wide enough to squeeze through. After the 8 days I went to Lowes to get a generator but there were none left, there were almost no saws, no shovels. Our neighbors that had no tools or gas and weren't prepared couldn't help. The elderly couldn't get care, the unfit couldn't help to clear trees. After we cleared my neighborhood to the point where trucks bigger than ours could get up and down we went out to help friends and families. Our neighborhood wasn't that bad, 8 days of work to get one lane clear wasn't that bad. Not compared to other parts of the county. We saw houses crushed by oaks or swept away completely by floodwaters. Whole hillsides were washed away by accelerated erosion. Barns that used to house precious livestock were swept away or destroyed. The storm that wasn't possible collided with my community that wasn't prepared for it. We didn't need to prepare for it. We learned in school that tornados couldn't happen in the mountains. We thought that our elevation would protect us from floods. We didn't think that storm clouds from the coast could bring the floods to us. After one year the damage has scabbed over, but it hasn't healed.
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  A Time of Uncertainty

  The night before the hurricane hit I thought everything would be okay. I’ve been through hurricanes before since my hometown is more towards the coast. They mainly dumped a lot of rain and that was the end of it. Therefore, I didn’t think this would be any different and didn’t really prepared. The school didn’t seem alarmed by it, professors just moved classes online for the day it was going to hit, and the weather station just said it would bring intense rain. The next thing I know, I have no power, no water, and no cell service. I didn’t know what was happening outside of my apartment other than what I could directly see. Trees were falling down, the rain was coming down in torrents, and the wind sounded like it would envelope us. Once the rain stopped, and I was able to go outside, that’s when I saw how bad it was. Roads had been washed away, trees were down, and homes were flooded. For the next five days my roommate and I remained without power, water, and cell service. We had to make the drive across town to campus for our first warm shower in days and this was also the first time I could actually make a call that wouldn’t immediately drop. Not to mention this was the first meal we had for at least two days. During this time of no power and water, with no access to the world around me, I was scared. I was scared for what damage was done to my apartment, what damage was done to the community, and how we were going to recover. I was a part of a large group of people that didn’t evacuate because I didn’t think it would be this bad. Afterwards, roads were closed off so I couldn’t really leave if I wanted to. I also didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to leave behind my home and my friends who were just as bad off. It was a terrifying experience that I am immensely grateful to have gotten through. Our apartment had mold damage due to all the moisture brought by the rain, all of our food that was in the refrigerator had to be thrown out, and our cars were stuck in the mud. But this was only a fraction of what other people lost. People lost everything in this storm so I’m thankful that it only impacted me minimally. However, my heart still aches for those who lost their homes and family members. It aches at the fact that there wasn’t much I could do to help since I too was stuck. And it aches at the fact that we were totally unprepared for this natural disaster. It was a terrifying and isolating experience that I can only hope we don’t have to go through again. If it does happen again, I hope we, as a community, are better prepared.
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  Interview of Caleb Hignite - BRAHM listening day - Sept 20, 2025

  This 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.
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  Interview of Heather Higgins - Hurricane Helene Listening Day in the High Country - Sept 20, 2025

  Audio 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

  This story map was created by NOAA and contains lots of images, data and narrative about the impacts of Helene in our region.
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  Interview of Annie Willis

  Annie 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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  High Country Humanity - Rising From The Storm

  Appalachian Student Honors Thesis
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  Bethel aftermath

  Photos from the Bethel area near the NC/TN boarder in the days after the storm.
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  Doc Watson

  I 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.
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  From flood to relief

  I 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
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  How the community's support inspired me

  While 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.
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  Helene’s impact on the Hispanic Community

  The 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

  I 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.