Help Christina and Rudy Start Over after Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene has been complete and total devastation for so many people in the Asheville area and throughout Western North Carolina. And, Christina, one of my oldest and dearest friends, is among those affected by this terrible catastrophe.

It’s hard to even grasp the level of hardship the people in the wake of this storm are facing for the immediate future and for years to come. Even those who didn’t lose everything are facing impossible odds and difficult choices about what the future holds for their lives.

Christina, and the beautiful Asheville area she has called “HOME” for so long, have always been there for me over the years and I’m hoping this effort can–in some small way–return the favor at this major turning point in her life.

I’ve never done a GoFundMe or called on my global community to help someone I care deeply for, but I’m asking for that help now.

I know many have donated or will continue to donate to the relief efforts in the path of this terrible storm, but I’m asking for whatever help can be given now to make a difference in the life of someone I love and give her some options for the future.

From Christina:

“All income streams are dried up for the foreseeable future. I haven’t heard from my employer re: payroll or if there is a job to go back to. Nobody here will have need for the services of the small business Rudy and I recently started for a long, long time, and it is surely too new to qualify for any relief. Our small savings will not outlast Asheville’s economic recovery. Rent was due October 1st for all renters in this city, including us, who have never missed a payment. FEMA denied our application. I have more questions right now than answers. There is a lot to figure out.

Those who’ve reached out to confirm our safety or offer support: THANK YOU. I know compassion fatigue is real. So many are hurting.

Everyone in Asheville has been doing what we can. Neighbors taking care of neighbors. Some have already left & all around us people are grappling with hard choices. The weight of what we’ve seen is heavier and more uncomfortable to talk about with each passing day. Please keep everyone affected in your prayers. It’s impossible to describe what we’re facing. ”

The donations given will help Christina and her husband, Rudy, cover the costs of securing a U-Haul once one can be accessed outside of the Asheville area, and general expenses related to relocating and starting a new life some where outside of Asheville.

Moving is a huge undertaking even in normal circumstances, but with the U-Haul place nearby washed away, many roads closed for the unforeseeable future, not to mention the mental and physical distress of the entire experience, there will definitely be some complications and difficulties to surmount as this unfolds.

About the GoFundMe Organizer:

I am Naomi Locardi, a well-traveled Photographer and Videographer, and long-time Florida resident who has cultivated a love for hiking and spending time among the mountains of Asheville and the Western N.C. area. Christina, my friend since childhood, is a very special someone who has helped support and participate in cultivating that love of hiking in Asheville and the surrounding areas. Always making time for me, and usually taking time out of her life to join me, on what has been a nearly annual visit to the Asheville area since 2017. I can’t begin to explain the positive impact those visits and time together have made on my life and mental health. My heart is absolutely breaking for her and the region I hold so dear in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

If you’ve made it this far, thanks so much for reading and a HUGE thanks to those donating!