'We Have To Rebuild:' North Carolina Resident Shares Impact Of Hurricane Helene

As Hurricane Milton approaches the U.S. East Coast, residents in Western North Carolina are still grappling with the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.

In the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, families face years of recovery.

April Perry, a professor at Western Carolina University, and her husband have lived in the region for 12 years.

They lived in Edmond for years before moving to Waynesville, North Carolina.

They have joined the local community in helping those affected by the hurricane, which brought unprecedented destruction to the area.

She said they are holding up ok, given the conditions.

“We are so lucky and very much grateful for the resources that everyone has been pouring into our communities,” Perry said.

Perry acknowledged the extent of the devastation in surrounding towns, some of which she said have been nearly wiped off the map.

“No one could have imagined the devastation that actually happened,” she said. "We knew that the hurricane was coming, but we, we did not expect it to be like this."

Despite the community's usual assurance of safety from severe weather due to the protective mountains, last week’s storm was a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability.

Leading up to the hurricane, Perry said that residents were advised to stay safe at home, as no evacuation orders were issued for their specific area.

"We closed schools and said, kind of hunker down, stay home, stay safe, but the devastation is, is more fathomable than we could have ever imagined," Perry said.

With October being the peak tourist season for the region, Perry said the economic impact of the hurricane is particularly dire.

“Tourism is our number one industry,” Perry said. “It’s sad that we won’t be able to support our small businesses who rely so much on that income during this time.”

In the wake of the hurricane, she said immediate aid had been delivered to those in need, and numerous volunteers had worked to provide essential supplies.

Schools and churches have become hubs for resource distribution, but Perry emphasized that long-term recovery will take years.

“After the initial needs are met, we have to rebuild,” she said. “Homes, lives, and businesses have been devastated.”

Perry has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist her local school district in the recovery process.

CLICK HERE to visit the GoFundMe.