NORTH CAROLINA — Six months ago, Hurricane Helene destroyed so much of western North Carolina.
On Thursday, Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz spoke with a first responder who had been aiding in the area’s recovery.
Brandon Price said he took an EMS job in the area and arrived the night before Helene hit.
He recalled how it was drizzling when he went to bed, but by the time he woke up, walls of water had washed away homes, businesses, and roads.
The water rose five feet every twenty minutes as Price and other first responders focused on rescuing residents.
As soon as the water receded, their focus switched to recovery efforts.
“When I woke up, you could hear tractors crank up, and this community started digging its way out. There were community members going house to house checking on people,” Price remembered.
Price has since made a career of helping others during the hardest of times. He said he had been so impressed with how much everyone in the community pitched in.
“I had a 10-year-old child come to my house, knock on my door, and asking, ‘Are you okay? Do you need anything?’ I actually teared up; I was like, wow,” Price expressed. “These people lost everything. Everything. And to still bounce back. And once you take a breath ... it will take you down.”
Even with all the help from volunteers, Price said the area is still in desperate need of help.
A list of resources and ways to assist the area can be found here.
VIDEO: NC Governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill into law
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