Neighbors’ compassion shines in storm-stricken North Carolina towns

HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. — Firefighters from Salisbury and Kannapolis hiked through Henderson County to get to communities destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The firefighters are trained for these types of responses, but the compassion from neighbors we saw along the way is something they were born with.

“This is a friend of ours that lives up here and he’s got kids, and he just couldn’t get to his house, so we loaded up what we had and came down to help him out,” said Robert Grindstaff on Thursday.

“It’s just the community coming together, working to make sure everybody is safe, that’s what it is,” Michael Collins said.

Salisbury Fire Department Captain Zack Grimes noted the thoughtfulness among the tight-knit communities.

“It’s cool to see the little gift boxes all over the road with apples and water,” Grimes said. “It sucks that it takes this to happen but it’s good to see what it does.”

Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz was with Grimes and the firefighters working through Henderson County, and it was something we saw repeatedly.

At a roadside stand, you could see a piece of cardboard with the word “FREE” in black Sharpie letters. The sign means hope for the people who live here, neighbors picked up tomatoes, onions, and other supplies.

“We just want to make sure that the people that are out here know that they can come and get what they need for this neighborhood,” said Helen Pace.

Pace and her family are manning the stand.

“Can I get one roll of paper towels?” one neighbor asked.

“You can have more than one roll of paper towels,” Pace said.

With no running water, no power, and no bridge to get to their house, they still consider themselves lucky to help their neighbors who weren’t spared.

“When you are in the South, sometimes you have to make people take things they don’t want to take from a neighbor, but you are not taking from a neighbor -- that’s what we’re out here for,” Pace said.

One neighbor who lives down the road, Cindy, said she’s willing to take less for someone who needs it more.

“That’s too much really,” she said.

“No, it’s not,” Pace said.

Pace said they snuck supplies in to help Cindy anyway.

“Everybody’s saying the same thing, that they don’t want to take from someone who needs it more. But really, if all you have is what is for today and you only have enough gas for today, let us help you have gas for tomorrow,” Pace said.

With arms full of fresh produce and a bag of kibble for her dog, Cindy will have enough for one more night.

This is just a glimpse of the devastation and the humanity we are seeing on the ground. No matter how bad it is, the people we meet are still finding a way to be thankful and help one another.

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