It’s been two weeks since Hurricane Helene barreled through our mountains and pushed rivers, creeks, and streams to historic heights. Our hearts go out to our neighbors throughout Western North Carolina facing unspeakable loss. GreyBeard is a locally rooted company, and we felt the storm’s impact on a personal level. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, our community immediately came together and got to work. There are thousands of stories featuring everyday heroes who stepped up, and we want to share just a few of them that show love put into action.
That home is one of 50+ in Old Fort that were either damaged or completely destroyed by Hurricane Helene. GreyBeard’s Old Fort office near Mill Creek and the Catawba River also sustained extreme damage. In the aftermath, ten of our brokers put on muck boots and PPE masks and grabbed their shovels to clean out six inches of mud from the office and warehouse—an intense but meaningful team-building effort.
Those who want to help the town of Old Fort should consider participating in the Old Fort Strong Endurance Festival in December. The 6/12/24-hour trail run and mountain bike ride aim to raise a minimum of $2 million to help provide relief, rebuild homes, and support local businesses that have suffered in Old Fort.
Bill Roberts, a commercial broker with GreyBeard, coordinated with local business Mellie Mac’s Garden Shack to bring a group of GreyBeard brokers and several others from a Charlotte real estate group to do yard cleanup at four different homes. They cleared fallen trees and collected logs to prepare much-needed firewood that had been washed away during the storm. Even GreyBeard kiddos got involved—organizing supplies and making thank-you cards for emergency workers.
After being evacuated from one of our rental homes along Flat Creek, some renters returned to their home state and came back with supplies—including five-gallon containers of gasoline, which were in short supply at the time. Several renters, in lieu of refunds, donated their money to folks directly impacted by the storm, some of whom had lost everything. A number of our rental homeowners immediately offered their homes, free of charge, for those in need.
These are just a handful of stories. There are so many others who continue helping and pouring resources into our region. This community is what has kept me and so many others going—pushing us to keep moving forward, little by little, day by day. I’ve never been more proud to be a local in Western North Carolina, and I cannot adequately express the grief and gratitude I’ve felt over the last 14 days.
I, and so many others, have clung to these glimmers of hope—holding each other and guiding each other through dark and devastating moments. Our mountains have always loved and accepted us for exactly who we are, and we will always love them in return.
We will mend the broken parts, and we will rebuild—holding space for the immeasurable loss. You’ve likely heard it before, but Appalachia is resilient. We draw strength from an unshakable sense of community. We take care of each other—and we will continue to do so.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
— Fred Rogers