- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
Y’all might not have noticed I was gone, but if something seemed lame about the forum the past couple weeks, that was probably it. 
On Friday evening 9/27, after a couple texts from the wife’s cousin up in Boone and pics starting to flood in on Facebook, I knew the damage from Helene was no normal storm, and I couldn’t just sit around and watch it unfold. I left out Saturday morning September 28th to go to the mountains to do SOMETHING to help people, not knowing what that would look like. I loaded up the truck with the excavator behind it and every generator, chainsaw, and jug of water and fuel that I could find.
I thought I might come home Sunday or Monday after a couple days of work. Kissed the wife and kids bye and headed out. Full steam ahead, up the mountain at about 27000 pounds with my foot literally to the floor at 60mph and 6 mpg, going as hard as I could because I could feel the need growing with every second. 9 days later I finally headed down the hill on 10/6, Sunday evening, because I had to go
back to my “real” job after unexpectedly being gone for a week. It was hard to leave, but I needed to get out and clear my head and get some rest. Upon arriving home, I just did not have the mental energy to post on here or even check the forum. I have a zillion pics and I’ll get around to posting some in the Helene thread after I get caught up on it.
I can’t tell you how many times I gasped and cried and was overcome with emotion on this trip, but the only way to describe it is the word I used at least a thousand times last week: unreal. I’m sure I’ll be forever changed as a result of what I saw and did, and the people I interacted with. While many things will be rebuilt, the mountains are forever changed as a result of this storm. As are the people. While there are a few reports of looting and robberies, I was truly overwhelmed with the amount of GOOD I saw in everyone I interacted with. The amazing amount of workers and equipment that POURED into WNC by midweek was unbelievable. I never had to cook a meal myself for 9 days. Everyone was contributing or at least trying to contribute in any way they could. It really gives you faith in humanity. But once the shiny wears off and the news cycle moves on, and winter comes and the workers become weary, that is when the mountains will need us the most. This is not weeks to rebuild. It is months. It it’s years. It is lives and livelihoods that are gone forever. I’m home for now, but I’m not done. First things first, gotta knock the mud off the truck and tractor.
Then I gotta organize my thoughts and figure out where I can be of the most use, then I’m going back. There’s a long road ahead for tens of thousands of people. It is truly incomprehensible if you haven’t seen it yourself. It is unreal. They need me, and they need you.
On Friday evening 9/27, after a couple texts from the wife’s cousin up in Boone and pics starting to flood in on Facebook, I knew the damage from Helene was no normal storm, and I couldn’t just sit around and watch it unfold. I left out Saturday morning September 28th to go to the mountains to do SOMETHING to help people, not knowing what that would look like. I loaded up the truck with the excavator behind it and every generator, chainsaw, and jug of water and fuel that I could find.
I thought I might come home Sunday or Monday after a couple days of work. Kissed the wife and kids bye and headed out. Full steam ahead, up the mountain at about 27000 pounds with my foot literally to the floor at 60mph and 6 mpg, going as hard as I could because I could feel the need growing with every second. 9 days later I finally headed down the hill on 10/6, Sunday evening, because I had to go
back to my “real” job after unexpectedly being gone for a week. It was hard to leave, but I needed to get out and clear my head and get some rest. Upon arriving home, I just did not have the mental energy to post on here or even check the forum. I have a zillion pics and I’ll get around to posting some in the Helene thread after I get caught up on it.
I can’t tell you how many times I gasped and cried and was overcome with emotion on this trip, but the only way to describe it is the word I used at least a thousand times last week: unreal. I’m sure I’ll be forever changed as a result of what I saw and did, and the people I interacted with. While many things will be rebuilt, the mountains are forever changed as a result of this storm. As are the people. While there are a few reports of looting and robberies, I was truly overwhelmed with the amount of GOOD I saw in everyone I interacted with. The amazing amount of workers and equipment that POURED into WNC by midweek was unbelievable. I never had to cook a meal myself for 9 days. Everyone was contributing or at least trying to contribute in any way they could. It really gives you faith in humanity. But once the shiny wears off and the news cycle moves on, and winter comes and the workers become weary, that is when the mountains will need us the most. This is not weeks to rebuild. It is months. It it’s years. It is lives and livelihoods that are gone forever. I’m home for now, but I’m not done. First things first, gotta knock the mud off the truck and tractor.
Then I gotta organize my thoughts and figure out where I can be of the most use, then I’m going back. There’s a long road ahead for tens of thousands of people. It is truly incomprehensible if you haven’t seen it yourself. It is unreal. They need me, and they need you.
thank you for what you done did
