Community hit hard by Helene leans on faith to salvage what’s left

YANCEY COUNTY, N.C. — In the hills and valleys of rural Yancey County lies one of the spots Hurricane Helene hit the hardest.

A church in the Pensacola community was once a symbol of faith and salvation.

“It was just ruins everywhere,” said volunteer Brian Watson. “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

Now volunteers are utilizing their faith to salvage what’s left.

“I’m at God’s house right now here helping him out so he’ll look out for me down the road and make sure I get what I need,” Watson said.

Pews at Pensacola United Methodist were covered in mud, and the basement was filled with debris.

The church across the street was also destroyed, but the community has relied on its faith.

“In here is where people gather and they’ll eat and enjoy community,” said Rory Ledford, resident.

Volunteers are running Camp Miller, a supply distribution site up the road.

“We have a mission board and needs and assistance notes in here so people can get the news of who needs help, who gets checked on,” Ledford said.

He showed Channel 9 their operation.

“This is our supply drop and the heart of Camp Miller,” he said. “And what we are doing here, this is where people will come and they’ll shop and get all their needs necessities food water there’s clothes, there’s shoes.”

Ledford, 24, the operation’s section chief for Yancey County, said he never knew he would oversee a natural disaster.

“Couldn’t dream of it. It’s really just a testament of how God works in our lives,” Ledford said.

Bradley Boone is the assistant chief at the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department.

“The grace of God. That’s the only way that you can explain most of what has happened in this valley,” Boone said.

During the worst of the storm, he was trapped in his home while one of his crew members was trapped by rushing water.

“My guys that were at the station were standing here watching houses, trailers, single-wide trailers go down the road,” he said.

Boone was trapped in his home while one of his crew members was trapped in rushing water.

“While the trailer is coming down the road, he’s on the radio saying, ‘Somebody help,’” Boone said.

They were certain he had died.

“You can imagine the joy you know, down here at the station, when they find out the guy, they thought that was dead all night, is alive, Grace of God,” Boone said.

Boone continues to be amazed at the grace and generosity of people he’s never met.

Inside the fire bays, there were mountains of supplies as part of the relief effort.

There was a makeshift field hospital tucked between fire trucks and turnout gear.

“So, we’ve had these guys here, nurses, a physician,” Boone said. “They’ve been making house calls. I didn’t even know physicians made house calls anymore.”

“They’ve been life savers, absolute life savers,” Boone said.

Dr. Randy Robinson drove from Georgia to make house calls to Pensacola’s older residents.

“What I call ‘Holler Hoppin’’ which is jumping on an ATV and driving med supplies out to people,” the doctor said.

Robinson and volunteer nurses organize what needs to be done.

“When we go, it’s not just medical,” he said. “Do you have a generator? Do you have water?”

Robinson, who has been in family medicine for 43 years, has seen an array of reactions from residents.

“Oh, it’s crazy,” Robinson said. “They’re just so thankful. It kind of restores your faith in humanity but they’re grateful for anything you can bring out there.”

Faith is what’s fueling people in the community.

“It’s a long tunnel,” Boone said. “This is going to take a long time, but there is at least a little light that I can see at the end of the tunnel now. And it’s like, OK, we’re going to do this together. We’ll do it.”

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