Support Alex and Chris After Hurricane and Fire

Please support our family after Hurricane Helene and a devastating fire took everything.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Alex and Chris's home in Black Mountain was tragically destroyed by a fire caused by a power surge. In a matter of moments, they lost everything, including their beloved pets.

Total loss and heartbreak in Black Mountain, NC

After moving out of New Jersey several years ago, Alex and Chris finally found their forever home in the mountain range south of the town of Black Mountain, just east of Asheville, NC. Recently, Chris’s sister Kathy and her son Nick came to stay with them in their home while Kathy was acquiring land nearby and hiring a contractor to build a home close to them. Life was good until the morning of September 27th, 2024.

After Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category-4 hurricane in Florida on September 26th, she moved north and set her sights on northern states. Areas in the Black Mountains region in western North Carolina were particularly devastated and encountered record rainfall, flooding, mudslides, and multiple tornadoes.

In her wake, she left the entire area without power, phone and internet access, roads washed away, numerous fatalities, and people still missing to this day. Homes were destroyed by fire and flood, and entire towns were swept off the map.

I spoke to my brother Alex the night before Helene hit the Asheville area. They already had fourteen inches of rain and were without power. Rivers were breaching and dams were at their breaking point. I did not hear from him again for two days. We heard reports of entire mountainsides collapsing and everything in their path being taken with it. Emergency services were unable to reach those in need or rescue those in peril. There was nothing we could do but wait.

We finally heard from them after they were able to reach a neighbor at the top of the mountain where there was limited cell service. We learned that they were okay, they were working together with five other families who lived nearby, pooling resources and attempting to clear the impassable roads. There was no way in or out. With chainsaws and tractors, they made their way down to where the dirt roads turned paved. At some point, they met up with members of the Broad River Fire Department who were cutting their way up the mountain to check on the families living there. The firehouse had eight feet of water and mud inside. The trucks that remained were destroyed. All the families joined together and helped clear the mud and debris from the firehouse.

By this time, volunteers with helicopters came from as far away as Texas to lend support, deliver supplies, and rescue people stranded on rooftops. On Sunday, choppers from Hendricks Motorsports began to land with much-needed food, water, and supplies. On October 2nd, still without power and cell service, Starlink announced that its satellite internet service was made available for free for all regions impacted by Helene, and families could now connect to loved ones.

After two weeks, thankfully, Alex was able to return to work in Swannanoa; however, Chris was not able to return to her office at the VA hospital in Asheville nor work from home.

Almost three weeks without power, getting by on a small generator, the generosity of donations, and the strength and determination of the other families on Black Mountain, they were surviving and hopeful. Then, their worst nightmare occurred. On October 17th, while Chris was at the neighbor's with a whole-house propane generator doing laundry, she received a text that power had just been restored. She drove around the corner, pulled into her driveway, and encountered flames covering the roof of their home. Thinking immediately of the pets trapped inside, Chris broke down their door and ran into a wall of superheated black smoke. Risking her own life, she entered and called for Loki, Bug, Truffles, and Maddie. Two dogs they rescued many years ago and two cats that became part of the family when Kathy and Nick moved in. Nothing. They didn’t come. Overcome by the heat and smoke, Chris got out of the house, or her fate would have been the same.

Chris could not get through to 911! She was able to get through to Alex at work, who then called for help. Alex rushed home from work, but by that time, all they could do was watch as their home, pets, and everything they owned turned to ash. A total loss. An unimaginable tragedy. After all they had been going through since this all began and persevering through it all, everything they’ve built, worked for, saved, and loved was gone in an instant.

So far, it is assumed it was due to a power surge at their breaker box when power was restored. We may never have a definitive explanation due to the extent of the damage impeding the investigation. Their property was crawling with dozens of firefighters and forestry service personnel to ensure the whole forest didn’t go up and take all their neighbors’ homes out and possibly start a horrific forest fire.

We are an extremely close-knit family. It has been torturing for us in other parts of the country to sit here helpless in aiding our brother and sister-in-law at this time of need and despair. We are asking for the kindness and generosity of our friends and family who know and love Alex and Chris to help in any way you can. Whether that be a text, a phone call, or if you are able to donate to their recovery from this devastating loss.

We know Alex and Chris are two of the strongest, toughest people that walk this earth, and they will persevere. They are also very proud and would never ask for help. That is my job today in writing this. Sometimes life brings you to your knees, and as tough as you are, it’s okay to accept the kindness of those who love you.

In the wake of the unimaginable destruction in this area, the cost associated with rebuilding has skyrocketed. Contractors are overwhelmed, and the demand for construction materials outweighs the supply. The cost to replace their simple home will be far more than expected. They are already paying a heavy emotional price, so we need your help to make up some of the difference. All they have left is friends, family, and hope. Let’s help these two amazing people get back on their feet.