Current:Home > MySon treks 11 miles through Hurricane Helene devastation to check on North Carolina parents-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Son treks 11 miles through Hurricane Helene devastation to check on North Carolina parents
View Date:2024-12-23 20:19:30
Sam Perkins only had one thing on his mind when he decided to trek through the utter devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina: make sure his parents were safe.
Perkins was “drowning in worry” because he hadn’t heard from his parents in 48 hours following the storm’s historic landfall in Florida and other regions across the Southeast. By Saturday, he couldn't wait any longer.
Perkins had to hike 11 miles with 2,200 feet of elevation gain to reach his mom and dad's home in the mountains, which is usually “pleasantly very isolated,” Perkins shared in a Facebook post.
The “absolute gem” of a home, according to Perkins, is nestled between an unincorporated community and a couple of towns halfway between Asheville and Boone.
“Little did I know that up there, Helene has demolished roads, homes and utility networks,” according to Perkins. “This area is completely cut off from resources in every direction.”
After weaving his way across failing roads, deep mudslides and fallen trees, Perkins found that his parents were “thankfully OK but surrounded by devastation.”
“I have never been so relieved to see anyone OK,” Perkins wrote on Sunday.
On the ground:How flood damage is cutting off North Carolina communities from emergency relief
'Know that crews are chipping away,' Perkins says
Perkins came across multiple people, just like his parents, who were “trapped by devastation” on both sides of the highway.
“In this part of the mountains with steep terrain rolling off the Blue Ridge Parkway, not only did water rise, it RAGED to tear up roads, earth and homes,” Perkins wrote. “Then, the winds (I'm certain tornados in some places) have brought down up to half the tree canopy.”
He said he was trying to “process” all that he saw on his journey.
“I've never seen anything like it," he said. "Power is a couple weeks out. I cannot fathom how long it will take ... to repair the curvy roads that hug steep mountainsides with the most amazing views."
All Perkins wants now is for his parents to have the “same basic needs they always provided me − food, water, shelter (house is mostly OK) and the ability to explore! But they can't even leave their home right now.”
Perkins “feels for” everyone who is stuck in the mountains or has family that can't get out.
“It's just a waiting game now … Know that crews are chipping away,” Perkins wrote.
Resources, help available after Hurricane Helene devastates Southeast
President Joe Biden plans to visit the affected regions in the coming days, heading to North Carolina first to take an aerial tour of the damaged areas before making his way to Florida and then Georgia.
Over a million people were without electricity, hundreds of others were still missing and 100 people were confirmed dead on Monday, days Helene made its devastating landfall in the Southeast. The total damage and economic loss caused by Hurricane Helene is expected to range somewhere $145 billion and $160 billion.
Multiple federal and state agencies have deployed resources and assistance to multiple communities across the Southeast in the last few days, providing food, water, medical care, communication equipment and emergency response services and personnel.
Resources, according to Biden, will be available "as long as it takes to finish this job."
"We'll continue to serve resources including food, water, communications, and lifesaving equipment will be there," he said Monday.
veryGood! (953)
Related
- The Bachelorette's Desiree Hartsock Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 3 With Chris Siegfried
- When do Hummingbirds leave? As migrations starts, how to spot the flitting fliers
- British energy giant reports violating toxic pollutant limits at Louisiana wood pellet facilities
- Illinois sheriff to retire amid criticism over the killing of Sonya Massey | The Excerpt
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly decline, shrugging off Wall Street’s overnight rally
- Ferguson police to release body camera footage of protest where officer was badly hurt
- US wholesale inflation cooled in July in sign that price pressures are continuing to ease
- Scientists make first-of-its-kind discovery on Mars - miles below planet's surface
- Dick Van Dyke says he 'fortunately' won't be around for Trump's second presidency
- Left in Debby's wake: Storm floods homes, historic battlefield
Ranking
- See Chris Evans' Wife Alba Baptista Show Her Sweet Support at Red One Premiere
- Selling Sunset's Chelsea Lazkani Breaks Down in Tears Over Split in Season 8 Trailer
- As Olympic flag lands in Los Angeles, pressure turns up for 2028 Summer Games
- Wisconsin Capitol Police decline to investigate leak of state Supreme Court abortion order
- GM recalling big pickups and SUVs because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing risk of a crash
- Federal officials investigating natural gas explosion in Maryland that killed 2
- Jurors deliberating in case of Colorado clerk Tina Peters in election computer system breach
- Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang Says One Host Was So Rude Multiple Cast Members Cried
Recommendation
-
Don't Miss This Sweet Moment Between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Dads at the Kansas City Chiefs Game
-
50 best friend quotes to remind you how beautiful friendship really is
-
Truth Social reports $16M in Q2 losses, less than $1M in revenue; DJT stock falls 7%
-
Wildfire along California-Nevada line near Reno destroys 1 home, threatens hundreds more
-
Jury awards Abu Ghraib detainees $42 million, holds contractor responsible
-
Old School: Gaughan’s throwback approach keeps South Point flourishing
-
George Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
-
Horoscopes Today, August 12, 2024