My husband Luke and I live in Black Mountain, NC, which has been devastated by Hurricane Helene. Homes and roads have been destroyed, and many residents are trapped in the mountains or missing. Currently, there is no cell service, no water, and power is either spotty or nonexistent. Schools and businesses remain closed.

We were very fortunate to make it through the storm with minimal damage to our home. We have a wonderful community of neighbors, and by Saturday morning, they had cleared our driveway. Without access to cell service and power, we did not then realize the extent of the devastation. We had only stocked up on a few days' worth of water, so once the driveway was clear, Luke decided to check if his workplace was open or if he could get more water from Ingles. About an hour later, he returned and said things in town were much worse than we had thought, and resources were being consolidated.

We were lucky to have a full tank of gas and family in South Carolina. Though we weren’t sure if we could make it, we knew it was better to leave and avoid straining our community’s limited water supply. What we saw on the way out was heartbreaking.

We are now safely in Charleston, SC, staying with family. Our goal for this fundraiser is to gather and purchase supplies for our friends and neighbors.