The road to recovery

Read through the pages of the Stronger than the Storm: Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina Book and recount the first-hand experiences of each writer as they process what happens next for recovery. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, then roared hundreds of miles inland to the mountains of western North Carolina. Record-breaking winds, rain, and floods damaged or destroyed homes, businesses, roads, and forestland across the region. More than 100 neighbors lost their lives. Power and water were out for weeks. North Carolina's governor called it "the worst storm in our state's history." To start to process the devastation, more than two dozen of the region's finest writers and artists turned to their craft in the first few weeks after the storm. They've distilled emotions and events that are far too big to convey in photos or videos, and have captured the sense of selfless community spirit that has now enveloped our mountain towns.