Two Davidson County friends raised $70K to rebuild a bridge for an elderly couple stranded after Hurricane Helene, showing how small donations can make an impact.
DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. â Two childhood friends from Davidson County joined forces to help an elderly couple. Together, they raised $70,000 to rebuild a bridge that Hurricane Helene destroyed. Without it, the couple had been stranded for months.
A 90-foot bridge once spanned this part of the North Toe River, connecting Penny and Jerry Brownâs home in Newland, Avery County, to the main road. Hurricane Helene ripped the bridge away, leaving the Browns stranded.
“It’s so breathtakingly unbelievable to see the power of that water and what it did and the size of stone displacement and things that to us look unmovable look like they were just, you know, picked up with a toothpick and displaced,” said Jeremy Haynes, owner of Nickâs Old Fashioned Hamburgers in Welcome.
Without the bridge, the Browns were forced to rely on a treacherous four-wheeler trail to reach necessities like bread and water. Reverend Henry Watterson of Reeds Baptist Church said the situation was dire.
“They had to take a four-wheeler trail through a mountain path to get bread and water. And all I could think about was, ‘these couples are one significant event away from being completely trapped through an ice storm or winter weather event,'” said Watterson.
That thought drove Watterson and Haynes to take action. With FEMA delays and no insurance assistance, they turned to the community for support. Donations poured in, ranging from large sums to smaller contributions of $5 and $10.
“You don’t think you make a difference; you make a huge difference. And without those gifts and donations along the way from the people who said, ‘I don’t have a lot, I’ve got a little, but I’m gonna give it.’ The job got done,” said Watterson.
Watterson and Haynes shared the good news with the Browns, who were overjoyed.
“They were over the moon, humbled, excited, and ecstatic about all of the people that have donated and all the hard work that’s gone into this,” said Watterson.
Haynes said their efforts are proof of what can happen when people come together for a good cause.
“100% it was definitely engineered and designed by God,” said Haynes.
The team plans to visit the Brownsâ home tomorrow to begin clearing debris. They will finalize their plans and aim to rebuild the bridge within a few weeks.
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