Help Ethan's family Overcome Hurricane Hardship

My childhood friend Ethan Gillis is a Western North Carolina native, spending the early years of his life in Old Fort, NC. He then bounced around Asheville until he was a teenager, where he attended Rabun Gap School. He played basketball in college and headed to Atlanta post-college. After a few years in the big city, he felt drawn back to his hometown to be with family and figure out what he was going to do with his professional life. He fell in love with tour guiding and sharing stories of his beautiful hometown. He quickly worked his way up to the operations manager at the best outdoor tour company in the city, The Flying Bike. He enjoyed his work because it allowed him to share some of the lesser-told stories allowing guests to experience Asheville with a true natives guidance and he could continuously meet newcomers. Ethan knows no stranger and treats all folks like family. His world has been shaken up by Hurricane Helene and he is now a stay at home dad experiencing financial hardship.

Ethan is many things to this community but prides himself on being a wonderful father to his infant son, a loving partner to the woman of his dreams, a trusted friend to many, and a shining light, to the community, hoping to brighten the day of all the people he encounters.

Like many others, Ethan and his immediate family were devastated by the effects of Hurricane Helene. His family lives in Swannanoa, which experienced some of the worst damage from the hurricane. Ethan has experienced flood damage, a loss of transportation, a loss of income, and the lasting effects of the hit the tourism industry in Asheville will take moving forward. Funds will go to help replace all that was lost in the home, a down payment & insurance for a vehicle, reoccurring bills (rent, medical expenses, etc.), and child care to allow him to get back in the workforce once mobile. In the midst of so much loss, Ethan has and will continue trying to help the community in the little ways he can by clearing debris and distributing supplies to those in need. Your donation will have a lasting impact on not just his family, but the community as a whole.