VIDEO: Hurricane Helene survivors still fighting to rebuild

Hurricane Helene devastated western NC. Survivors are still waiting for help and some may never return home. We spoke with residents fighting to rebuild.

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene crushed western North Carolina in the worst natural disaster in the history of the state. 106 deaths have been confirmed and many people are still missing.

Cardinal & Pine’s Dylan Rhoney spoke with residents and local leaders across the region who survived the storm’s path and remain frustrated about the slow delivery of direct support. Some worry about what the future looks like in the place they have called home for many years and generations. There is fear that the continued fallout from Helene could lead to some residents leaving permanently.

The estimated cost of western North Carolina’s rebuilding from Hurricane Helene is over $60 billion dollars, and while around $20 billion has been approved for the state by the federal government, none of that money has reached the people who need it most to begin the recovery process.

Bill Wilson and Natasha Tafelski of Haywood County saw over $130,000 in damages to their property as a result of Helene, with only a $12,000 payout to cover the repairs. They fear no more support is coming despite extensive damage to both their home and land.

In Yancey County, Jennie Bull miraculously survived a landslide when trees sliding down the mountain knocked her home from its foundation. Heroically and selflessly, three of her neighbors rushed to rescue her, along with her cat, Lilly. We followed up to see how they are doing in the aftermath of the hurricane that changed their lives forever and to capture footage of the damage.

Local leaders and small business owners across western North Carolina say that the return of tourism is a critical component of the region’s continued recovery from the hurricane. From Hendersonville to Boone elected officials and small business owners are welcoming visitors back and say that it could make or break their communities. Trevor Moody, who owns Lily’s Snack Bar, a restaurant near Appalachian State University in Boone.

“Places like your local restaurant or bar, these are places where community gathering happens. Without spaces like that, there’s not a lot of places for people to come together and form community. To meet each other and form bonds,” Moody said.

Read more of Dylan Rhoney’s Hurricane Helene coverage:

‘It’s like something out of the Bible’: Emergency response operations continue in western NC after Helene

Stories of heroism abound in western NC after Helene, but so do fears about the future

Western NC communities ask for more support as the General Assembly returns to Raleigh

Disaster relief for western North Carolina at risk as Trump and Elon Musk kill government funding deal

‘I love this place’: Chimney Rock tries to rebuild after Hurricane Helene

Western NC small businesses pick up the pieces after Hurricane Helene

NC lawmakers express frustration at slow rollout of Helene recovery funds