One Year
HURRICANE HELENE
Some storms leave a mark.
Looking back on September 27, 2024
It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North and South Carolina.
We spent nine days without electricity while Helene forever changed the landscape.
Porch-sleeping on the lounge chair outside
Many places will never be the same, but I will always be moved by the courage, resilience, and fortitude of those affected by the storm.
The community was quick to check on neighbors and help with clean-up. The quick-acting spirit and generosity were remarkable, but it was the stories that stuck with me most.
I wrote a lot during those nine days.
Here are three short poems I penned during and after Hurricane Helene, as well as the stories that inspired them.
I heard about a little brother in Western North Carolina who woke up to use the bathroom just before a massive tree landed on their home, destroying the top bunk where he had been sleeping.
That night, I wrote:
Helene brought many tragedies, but there were also many miracles.
We live among 60-70 ft. trees.
Hearing them snatched from their roots in wind and rain was one of the most haunting sounds as the storm blew through.
It was still dark as Helene reached her maximum strength here, making it difficult to tell what was happening amidst the noise, but after the storm, there was an eerie silence.
No electricity, no road noise.
The following nights offered a new kind of quiet, and darker-than-normal skies.
No porch lights, no streetlights, no city lights.
Only the warm ambient light from the flame of my tiki-torch.
We were hearing devastating reports from Western North Carolina.
My heart ached.
As I settled in for the night, the sound of coyotes nearby left me with an unsettled feeling.
I sat in the dark on my porch and wrote:
Reports vary, but Hurricane Helene claimed roughly 250 lives and caused more than $78.7 billion in damage. (According to NOAA).
Coco joined our family a few weeks before the storm hit, adding an extra layer of fun to an already crazy time.
She was a sweet distraction. (She still is.)
After the storm passed and the sun came out, we assessed the damage.
I was amazed at how the delicate flowers like marigolds and moonflowers were in-tact and in full bloom while giant trees had toppled.
The yard was littered with sticks and debris, and nearby homes were badly damaged, but the flowers were somehow unscathed.
The contrasts were bittersweet.
And here we are one year post-Helene…
still humbled, and still grateful for the little things.
POSTS FROM LAST YEAR:
Read more about my experience with Hurricane Helene: DAY 8
Here is a closer look at Hurricane Helene, including images I took after the storm: HELENE
For a list of items I was happy to have while I was living without electricity - or things that I wished I had - read: PREPARED.
It’s prime hurricane season in the southeast again. It’s a great time to restock and build your home emergency preparation kit.
Thank you for remembering those days with me.
Stay safe!
