It was the third-deadliest hurricane of the modern era, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida late on Sept. 26 before hitting Western North Carolina the following morning. The storm brought flooding, landslides and winds that damaged or downed 40% of the trees in Buncombe County, according to Asheville Watchdog.
Two months after the storm, homes across Western North Carolina stood with broken windows and empty rooms. Spray-painted “X”s marked outside walls and garage doors, indicating complete FEMA searches, according to the Civil Air Patrol.
Cars and trucks remained abandoned in rivers and under rubble. Residents’ belongings — clothing, curtains, childrens’ toys — sat in piles along the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers. Businesses were boarded up; roads and broken bridges were closed.
A building on Riverside Drive in Asheville — located in Buncombe County — read “LOOTERS WILL BE SHOT” in red spray paint.
But amid the rubble, residents of Asheville and nearby Swannanoa also spray-painted messages of hope. A statue in the River Arts District — a neighborhood of historic buildings transformed into art galleries and restaurants — stood above a sign that read “even when the creek rises.” A piece of wood in front of a gas station in Swannanoa featured text that read “UR strong” and a red heart.
Efforts to rebuild persist. So does the knowledge that the road will be long.
Lily Alexander is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @llilyalexander
