Help Lori Rebuild After Hurricane Helene

My sister, Lori, is a victim of Hurricane Helene. She and her landmates lost their home and land, which was flooded and destroyed by the storm and is now unlivable. They will have to start over somewhere else. I started this fundraiser out of a need to help her and her community survive the recovery process that the hurricane left in its wake.

Lori and her landmates were in the main house waiting out the storm when they started to see the creek next to their house rising. While they were packing food to leave, they watched in disbelief as flood waters lifted their landmate’s car and rammed it into the house itself. The flood broke through the door and water and debris came rushing in. In a wave of fear they realized they had to leave immediately-- in a matter of seconds, the water was up to their thighs and was filling the entire house. They desperately tried to get the dogs out of the house but the dogs wouldn’t leave the floating couch they were standing on. Lori ended up carrying them out one by one as the water and debris kept rising.

They managed to climb to higher ground and were able to find refuge at a local Air BnB where the current guests showed them great kindness and they were able to connect with their community at a local church which had wifi, food, and water. It was actually a beautiful moment of human connection, sharing of resources, and camaraderie. Under the most devastating of circumstances they experienced human bonding that eludes us under normal circumstances.

Now that Lori and her landmates are out of immediate danger they are grappling with the knowledge that life as they know it is over. The Asheville they know is gone and will never be the same. Now mental health needs to be prioritized and they will need to rely on community to get through the aftermath of this devastation. The money raised here will be used for housing, loss of income, repairs, and rebuilding. I wish I could be there with my sister to help her recover but I understand that from a distance really the only thing I can do, besides provide moral support, is to give money. Lori is an aesthetician and, although the business plans to reopen, it will be a long time before she can build back the clientele that she relies on for her living expenses. We are the community that can support her. Please join me in creating a safer space for Lori and her landmates to restart their lives.