“There was very little warning,” Tonya Marthaler of Marthaler Jewelers in Asheville, North Carolina recently revealed. “It came too late.” Local riverbanks had already been breached by heavy rain in the previous two days. Within 24 hours Hurricane Helene delivered an additional record-breaking deluge of up to 20 inches, flooding the already saturated grounds.
Early in the morning of September 27, water, mud and debris fields from higher elevations broke loose in massive waves, swallowing occupied houses, buildings, cars, roads, bridges and everything in their path.
“People saw the waters surge across fields, at a distance, often rising so rapidly there was no time to escape. We live in the mountains, but not on the mountain. We live in the valleys.”
The flooded debris fields rushed into the only space available, the low-lying “hollers,” populated areas near rivers, ideal for living and businesses. It was the perfect storm.
The sweeping hand of nature transformed entire landscapes within moments, in some cases virtually wiping away entire villages, including Chimney Rock and nearby Bat Cave. Survivors and first responders found familiar landscapes unrecognizable.
“Literally, this river has moved,” according to Chimney Rock village administrator Stephen Duncan. “We saw a 1,000-year event. A geological event.”
In Asheville, a creative hub renowned for arts and crafts, the Biltmore Village and River Arts District, home to many jewelry artists, galleries and retailers, were particularly hard hit. An estimated 80 percent of the district has been destroyed, affecting over 300 artists’ studios, artwork and equipment, explained Jeffrey Burroughs, president of the River Arts District Artists. Estate Jewelers Ltd. in Biltmore Village was “wiped out” according to Tonya.
But the wrath of the storm was selective. Luckily, Marthaler Jewelers was spared. In nearby Burnsville, Tina Sink of Banks Jewelers reports her retail store escaped damage, although the surrounding area was hard hit.
In more remote mountainous regions, the swiftness and severity of the storm resulted in dangerous isolation. Roads connecting to the outside world were destroyed, as well as all phone, text and internet communication. Survivors stranded often on mountaintops, not knowing if family members were safe, were deprived of critical potable water, food, shelter, power and medical attention.
A tremendous outpouring of immediate aid rushed in to fill the desperate need. By boat, mule train, horse, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft, help arrived swiftly from surrounding areas and around the country. Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization headquartered in Boone, NC – itself dramatically hit by the storm – was one of the first on the scene, prepositioning supplies in multiple areas before the storm.
“Four National Guard Chinooks, three ex-Army Blackhawks, and several private helicopters organized by Samaritan’s Purse made 358 flights into 17 mountainous counties in North Carolina and Tennessee… to deliver tons of emergency supplies… the largest civilian airlift in US history” according to their website. “Nearly 30,000 volunteers in the first month cut trees, shoveled mud, tarped roofs”, distributed “3800 generators, 5700 heaters, 13,000 blankets.”
Samaritan’s Purse is continuing to help survivors remove debris and muck out of homes – dangerous work because of contaminated waste materials. According to leader Franklin Graham, more than 230 lives were lost, and many more are still missing. The affiliated volunteer groups of the Cajun Navy, based in Louisiana, also rushed in, prepositioning themselves before the storm, and were amongst the first and most effective rescue presence, widely reported in the first days after impact. In the initial days following the storm Elon Musk donated Starlink satellites, often delivered by helicopters, to many remote areas, immediately restoring life-saving communication to stranded remote areas. The outpouring of goodwill has been tremendous and transformational.
Local Appalachian residents, remarkably self-sufficient, resourceful, and generous, immediately plunged into rescue and recovery efforts, even though having just narrowly survived themselves. Communities banded together with the support of local churches, fire and police departments, gathering and distributing donations of water, food and clothing, clearing roads with chain saws, restructuring roads with their own heavy equipment including bulldozers and tractors, even creating temporary bridges with flatbed trucks to connect life saving access to stranded villages. FEMA, the National Guard, US military, and agencies such as the North Carolina Department of Transportation have all joined in the continuing effort to rebuild and repair, which may well take months or years.
What can be done to help? The immediate need for critical supplies such as potable water, food, clothing and medical supplies has been superseded by longer term recovery and replacement efforts. Marthaler Jewelers has created a “Hurricane Helene Relief Cross Pendant,” proceeds which support the purchase of campers, which Tonya delivers personally, for those in need of housing. @marthalerjewelers.
Donations of supplies or cash can be made individually or to charities of choice. And perhaps most timely, jewelers are supporting other jewelers. Small businesses, especially during the upcoming Holiday season, need to restore active income flows to recover and thrive. Many jewelers in western North Carolina are partially or fully back in business, and would greatly appreciate increased business with customers or other jewelers.
On Nov. 16, the Western North Carolina Artist Recovery Project hosted their first event, a festival for jewelry artists in recovery who need a space to exhibit, no booth fee, on Jupiter Farm in Weaverville in the Asheville area. Tryon International is sponsoring “WNC Main Street” to shop favorite Western North Carolina businesses from Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, Hendersonville, Asheville, and more, temporarily located in the Tryon International Pavilion, while recovery and rebuilding efforts continue. Support small businesses this holiday season at Tryon International. Tryon.com/shopping #wncstrong
