Watauga County communities struggle with recovery efforts six months after storm Helene caused widespread damage.
WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Six months after Helene tore through Western North Carolina, recovery and rebuilding efforts remain far from over. In Watauga County, communities are still navigating damaged homes, washed-out roads and bridges, and emotional wounds that have yet to heal.
More than 660 people in the county reported private road or bridge damage following the storm. For some, the path back to normal has been long and grueling.
In the Cove Creek community, the damage is still plain to see. Debris, including an overturned car, still clutters the riverbanks.
For Lora Anne Campbell, the memories of that night remain fresh. She watched as the bridge connecting her home and so many others to the main road was swept away.
“It just picked it up like it was a toy and washed it down, depositing it at the lower end of the property,” Campbell said.
The floodwaters also tore through her basement, destroying her belongings and crippling her pet business.
“All of my personal possessions were lost in the basement with 80 inches of water,” Campbell said. “That is huge on its own, and then you factor in the business and the detached garage.”
A temporary bridge now stands in place, but the damage is far from being repaired. Debris still lines the riverbanks, a reminder of the work still ahead.
“This will all have to be regraded, and we are getting to that in the next couple of weeks,” Campbell said, pointing to her yard. “Hopefully, I can reseed after that because this was all… a green yard.”
Just down the road, Deanna McGinnis is also rebuilding. The lower level of her church, once home to classrooms, a library, a kitchen, and a fellowship hall, was gutted by floodwaters.
“Our church will build back, but it is just going to take some time,” McGinnis said.
But the storm wasn’t the only tragedy she endured. In November, just two months after Helene hit, she lost her husband. When the family gathered to lay him to rest, they were met with another cruel reminder of the storm’s impact: the bridge to the cemetery had also washed away.
“The bridge completely washed out, and there was no access,” said McGinnis.
Loved ones had to rely on four-wheel drive SUVs to get across the creek to bury him.
“My husband is right here next to his mom and dad,” McGinnis said, pointing to where he was laid to rest.
A footpath bridge was finally added three months after the storm to get them some access, but there is no clear timeline on when a bridge would be built to replace the initial one.
While residents push forward, officials say there is a long road to recovery.
William Holt, Emergency Services Director for Watauga County, says the county has been working nonstop to manage debris and restore roads, but repairs are costly and slow-moving.
“We are grateful that the general assembly and governor signed the bill for 100 million dollars but at three quarter of a million dollars a piece… it is not going to go far,” said Holt as he pointed to a dirt path bridge made by residents after their bridge was destroyed.
Holt encourages all residents to apply for FEMA individual assistance. He says that data also helps them steer residents toward getting more funding.
“Funding is the magic word on how fast we can do projects,” Holt said. “When folks do what they need to do here, get the engineering and things lined up, they can go as soon as they get the check.”
For now, residents remain hopeful. With each passing day, they continue to rebuild one step at a time.
“These things do take time, and we are hopeful that we will get back to normal one day,” McGinnis said.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
