Workers clear a road in Fairview, North Carolina, on Sunday.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images
It had been 48 hours since the winds and rains from Hurricane Helene ripped through western North Carolina, and a local resident, Sam Perkins, had still not heard from his parents.
Determined to find them, Perkins set off on Saturday morning, driving toward their home, nestled in the mountains between Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland, a region known for its breathtaking isolation.
“My parents live in an absolute gem of the North Carolina mountains,” Perkins shared in a post about his experience, noting the area is about an hour’s drive from Asheville. “Under normal circumstances, it’s pleasantly very isolated,” he added, unaware of the devastation Helene had caused.
“Little did I know that up there, Helene has demolished roads, homes, and utility networks. This area is completely cut off from resources in every direction,” he lamented.
As the storm wreaked havoc, at least 93 people lost their lives, and North Carolina was particularly hard hit. Days of relentless flooding had transformed roads into waterways, leaving many stranded and straining state resources.
Governor Roy Cooper described the storm as “one of the worst in modern history.” Despite the deployment of supplies, at least 280 roads remained closed, complicating efforts to deliver aid to the hardest-hit areas.
Realizing the extent of the road closures, Perkins parked his vehicle near a closed highway and began to hike toward his parents’ home. “I tried every road route I could, but the roads, no matter where you go, are blocked by landslides or failures,” he explained. “I can’t tell you how many failing roads and deep mudslides I had to cross, how many fallen trees I had to take off my backpack for and navigate through.”
As he hiked, Perkins encountered others stranded by the storm’s devastation. For over three and a half hours, he trekked 11 miles and ascended 2,200 feet to finally reach his parents’ home.
“I have never been so relieved to see anyone OK,” Perkins expressed, noting that his parents, in their 70s, are resourceful and resilient.
“I just hugged them, cried, filled them in on all the news they were missing… Walked around the property, helped them decide how to approach some challenges,” he shared, highlighting the emotional toll of the experience.
As the region begins to recover, the implications of such natural disasters are profound. The increasing frequency and intensity of storms, likely exacerbated by climate change, are a growing concern for communities across the nation. The challenges of infrastructure resilience and emergency preparedness are more crucial than ever.
In the wake of such disasters, communities are likely to see a surge in local initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure and emergency response systems. This could include the development of more robust communication networks to ensure that families can stay in touch during emergencies, as well as the establishment of local resource centers to aid in recovery efforts.
As the climate crisis deepens, it is essential for local and state governments to invest in sustainable infrastructure that can withstand the increasing severity of natural disasters. This could involve not only the hardening of roads and utility networks but also the integration of green infrastructure that can mitigate flooding and improve resilience.
In conclusion, the story of Sam Perkins and his parents is not just a tale of personal resilience but also a reflection of the broader challenges and opportunities that communities face in an era of climate change. The road to recovery is long, but it is also an opportunity to build a more resilient future.
