In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, our lives have been turned upside down, and the journey to recovery has just begun. As we reflect on the past month, we’re reminded of the resilience of our community and the importance of supporting one another during these challenging times. Join us as we share our personal experiences, the challenges we’ve faced, and how we are coming together to rebuild and thrive in Western North Carolina.
A month has passed since Hurricane Helene disrupted our lives here in Western North Carolina. Though we haven’t shared many details about our situation since the storm, we feel grateful to have emerged safely and physically unharmed. Our home did suffer damage, including a hole in the roof that allowed rain to pour in for several hours, necessitating extensive repairs. We’ve learned to celebrate the small victories on our path to recovery; while there have been setbacks along the way, each day brings us a little closer to normalcy, reminding us that this is a long process that requires patience.
At first, I hesitated to share much on any of my business channels, wondering if such personal experiences belonged in a public space. But we’ve come to see how important it is to share our journey—not only as a part of our own healing process but also for others who might be going through similar situations.
It’s amazing how much we missed the simple act of washing our hands whenever we wanted, without a second thought. Now, it’s a process that involves getting clean water from a jug with a spigot, applying soap, and rinsing again—all of which feels so labor-intensive compared to what we once took for granted. After having to make do with water boiled on the barbecue, a clean shower felt incredibly luxurious. We’ve also found that everyday tasks, like washing dishes and preparing meals, take so much longer now. Many people we’ve spoken with agree that everything just feels more time-consuming, even traveling around the area due to numerous roads still being closed, in need of repair, or temporarily closed for utility work. A few pictures showing our creative ways to work with what we had during the first few days…
Living elevated on a steep hillside, we initially thought we would be shielded from the floods and heavy rains. However, the strong winds took a toll, affecting the houses at the top, including ours, which sustained the worst damage with three trees falling on it. Despite this, we feel fortunate to have been spared from the worst of the destruction. The devastation right below us in Cane Creek Valley was shocking to see when we finally ventured out to contact family for the first time since the storm. For the first few days, our roads were barely accessible, with bridges out, downed power lines, and washed-out paths making travel nearly impossible.
The feeling of isolation was profound; without internet, electricity, or cell service, we had no way to grasp the true scope of the damage across Western North Carolina. Eventually, we managed to get a radio, which became our lifeline for news, helping us understand where to find supplies and what areas were impacted. Amidst these challenges, it has been heartwarming to witness our community unite, with volunteers traveling from afar to assist in recovery efforts. It’s truly inspiring to see people set aside their differences and come together to support one another on this path to healing.
The biggest challenge was finding a crane to remove a tree from our roof, which had to be cut in sections. We also had two other trees that clipped our roof in the back, totaling fourteen trees down. Many others in Western North Carolina share similar stories of feeling cut off from the world and spending considerable time without cell service. The first 24 hours were especially painful; we couldn’t check on friends and family or let anyone know we were okay.
In our area, self-imposed cell phone lots became a necessity, forcing us to drive from our homes just to connect with loved ones or handle important tasks while sitting in our cars. This made it impossible to manage a day’s normal tasks in the limited time available. We were without power for two weeks, and without water, everything took so long to accomplish—trips to friends’ houses or community stations for showers and laundry turned into adventures. Cooking on the barbecue was a challenge, and we’re not sure we’ll be interested in camping for a while! Until a few days ago, we didn’t have reliable internet, but we were incredibly grateful to connect to our neighbor’s Starlink.
Now that our trees have been removed, it took hiring two different companies and some help from volunteers to get the cleanup done. Thankfully, we no longer have dangerous trees on our house or property. Our home has been mitigated for mold and water damage, and we can finally start planning for a return to normalcy. We still have to wash dishes with boiled water, but we’ve received plenty of bottled water from charitable groups, FEMA, and the National Guard while we wait for the water to be safe for everyday use again.
Week 5: At last, we’ve tackled the major cleanup—the big logs and piles of brush left from this Helene madness are mostly cleared. Our chainsaw is barely holding on, but some incredible volunteers stepped in to tackle the last big log that was down. The yard is looking much better, with a fortress-like line of logs now marking the back of the house. We’ve done all we can to address what’s within our control.
Now, we’re waiting on the insurance process to kick into gear for our home repairs, which they estimate will take another 3-4 weeks. It’s going to require some patience, but we’re nearly done with the outdoor recovery that demanded our attention over these past five challenging weeks. With the house repairs out of my hands, I can shift my focus back to work, which feels like a positive step forward.
The impact of Hurricane Helene has left Western North Carolina in a state of deep uncertainty. Countless businesses have been forced to pause or close their operations, and for those of us whose work depends on the vitality of our local business community, the road ahead will require careful planning to make it through the fall and winter seasons. This is why we’re reaching out for your support.
In recent weeks, the rich tapestry of our culture and commerce has been put to the test, and it’s clear that it will take all of us—locals, visitors, and supporters from afar—to keep these essential threads intact. The qualities that make our business landscape so unique—creativity, collaboration, and connection—will be vital as we navigate this challenging recovery journey.
Whether you’re able to contribute directly or simply spread the word, every bit of support strengthens our community and helps ensure the resilience of the businesses, art, and culture that make Western North Carolina a special place. Thank you for standing with us.
We encourage everyone to buy local whenever and however possible—don’t wait for the holidays. For those outside the affected area, many Western North Carolina businesses offer their products, services, and gift certificates online. Countless businesses have launched fundraising campaigns to support their staff and generate income during this challenging time. Now is the moment to show your support through sales, financial aid, and investment if you can. Let’s uplift those businesses that have always been your go-tos, and spread seeds of love to others, ensuring that the vibrant garden of Asheville and Western North Carolina can thrive.
Hub for info and support: https://www.wncstrongtogether.org/
Reputable places to donate:
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, several organizations are actively supporting recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. Here are five reputable avenues for donations:
Two clients, who are also good friends, lost their businesses due to the flood—one in Biltmore Village and another who had her Dog Training Center by the Swannanoa River. I want to share their GoFundMe information because they are both incredible people, and I want to see them come through this! Their info is below:
Ruff Life Dog Training – Owner Tessa Sternbach
Tessa built a thriving dog training and boarding business that has now been reduced to rubble, deeply impacting the Asheville community. Her wife’s job across the river is also devastated. Amid this turmoil, they welcomed their new baby, Enzo, born on October 2nd, just after Hurricane Helene. The Ruff Life GoFundMe to help support her and her employees will help with their recovery as they search for a new space.
McHone Performance Training – Steven & Shona
Steven created a thriving community for mountain athletes who thrive on outdoor activities and have benefited from his strength workouts. He just moved to this location in March, and seeing this setback breaks my heart. He went all out to support the local outdoor community and had a strong network to help clear his space. He’s committed to rebuilding and has set up a GoFundMe for recovery support.
We want to express our gratitude to everyone who reached out—whether it was to offer support, contribute to our GoFundMe, or provide resources when information was hard to find. We are getting through this, and by November, we believe we should be in a much better situation to get back into more of a routine and take on new projects. We hope to work with the clients we have who have also been affected, assisting them in their recovery while regaining the momentum we had in our own endeavors.
Referrals: Every time you recommend us to a friend or colleague, it helps connect us with the people and businesses that can benefit from our services. Whether you are a previous client or a longtime advocate, your word-of-mouth referrals will help immeasurably in the coming months. Do you know someone who is ready to launch their business or elevate their existing public image? Please share our information, website, and social media as resources for business resilience and growth.
We believe that, with the support of our community and everyone who has helped us along the way, we can all emerge stronger from this experience. I plan to stay involved and support small businesses as they navigate this recovery. Through my coaching, I will help them pivot towards securing grants, loans, and marketing opportunities beyond Western North Carolina to ensure their sustainability and growth.
Ready to Take on Projects! If you’ve read this far, thank you! I am ready, willing, excited and frankly – In need to get things going again, so if you have a need for some marketing, branding or some business consulting, please do let me know, it will help me immensely!
While I continue to support our local community, I am actively seeking opportunities to work with businesses that are seeking that want to expand their branding and marketing. I’m ready to dive deep into a few projects and get back to my full work routine once again!
