Help Elizabeth and Misha transition after hurricane Helene.

My name is Casey Richards. Just a little over two weeks ago my sister, Liz, and niece , Misha, endured a tragic and terrifying event. It had been raining for several days and then hurricaneHelene hit. They were given no warning to evacuate and had been told to hunker for the storm. Around 4:00 am Friday morning, after it was too late to leave, the flash flooding started to occur. We had been in contact Thursday night and early Friday morning and felt she was safe but then things started to take a turn. She told us over text that she was going leave her apartment and head up the hill to the landlords because rain water was starting to come into bay window and the driveway was getting was out.

This is when we lost all contact. The next 48 hours we had no idea if she and Misha were safe or not. I filed missing persons reports with the Red Cross and the United Way. Needless to say it was a trying time for all of us. Late afternoon on Sunday Liz text us that her and Misha were okay. The power was out and the roads were gone, there was no cell service. They were able to get a ride to town and use an emergency WiFi station set up. We have never been more happy to hear from them!

After figuring out which roads were open and what route they could take, Liz and Misha were able to eventually leave North Carolina and get to New York the following Thursday. They had been trapped at their home from the fallen trees and debris.

Flash forward to today and they are still here. They still do not have power, cell service, or running water at her apartment. Misha’s school, Cane River Middle School, has become a distribution site for community supplies. My sister works in the food service industry in Asheville and is not currently able to return to her job because of the damage from the flooding. She has currently been denied FEMA funding. They will be with us in New York for an undetermined amount of time.

I am humbly asking for some monetary support for my sister while she is in this transitional time. The amount of devastation and rebuilding that needs to be done in Western North Caroline is unimaginable. It will take years to get back to any form of normalcy. I thank you for your consideration to help my family during this difficult time.