From tragedy to thriving: communities being built back up after Hurricane Helene. Helene made landfall September 26, 2024. More than 250 deaths have been confirmed, search-and-rescue efforts are never-ending, and several civilians are still waiting for clean water.
A mother’s corpse along with her pair of one- month-old twins were found hugging each other and are said to have been the youngest Hurricane Helene victims. Kobe Williams, 27,the single mother of the twins, had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside. Obie Williams, the twins’ grandpa, was who she was speaking with. Williams says as he was talking to his granddaughter on the phone, he could hear the terrified infants wailing and branches hitting the house’s walls. The phone line went dead, the windows cracked, and he heard the roof cave in, all at once. Fortunately, Kobe’s mother Mary Jones was on the opposite side of the trailer house when this horrible incident happened as she was assisting her with the twins. “Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please!” In hopelessness, Jones cried out, but tragically, she received no answer back. More than 250 death victims and 1,413 missing after being hit by one of the deadliest hurricanes in history since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 (CBS News).
Significant destruction was caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024, especially to the cities along the coast. The storm collapsed trees, wrecked houses, destroyed water pipes, and caused extensive flooding with gusts of above 130 mph. There was major infrastructure damage, which resulted in continuous power outages and barely to almost zero. communication (The New York Times).
But despite all the destruction, tales of optimism began to surface little by little: local groups came together to supply the necessities, communities joined together for rescue operations, and volunteers planned relief campaigns. The strength of the people impacted demonstrates the fierce determination of the human spirit in the face of tragedy, highlighting the importance of solidarity and recovery efforts in rebuilding.
More than thousands of volunteers are uniting as one, fundraisers are being continued, rapid response teams are getting into the light, and even celebrities and music artists are starting to donate money. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, the celebrity couple, have donated $1 million to Feeding America’s disaster relief fund.
The donation aims to support food banks in providing essential supplies, such as water, ready-to-eat meals, and other necessities, to communities grappling with devastating losses and facing a long road to recovery. Also including: Tom Brady, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Morgan Wallen, and Metallica have all in total donated more than a million to towns impacted and for first-response efforts. (Forbes)
Overall, the powerful message that this horrible tragedy is sending to American civilians is that no matter how hard we get knocked down, we will always come back even stronger. Several resources and community based volunteers have pitched in to help the victims. There are so many ways to help, whether in person or at home on your phone – check the resources down below.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information or ways to help, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow them on social media!