Sam Perkins awaited anxiously for news from his parents after Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury upon western North Carolina . When he couldn’t wait any longer, he found himself compelled to act and set off toward their home, situated between Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland, a picturesque haven in the mountains.
“My parents live in an absolute gem of the North Carolina mountains,” Perkins wrote in a Facebook post. Just an hour's drive from Asheville, the area is usually a peaceful retreat, “pleasantly very isolated,” as he put it. However, little did Perkins know that Helene had wrought havoc on the region, demolishing roads, homes, and utility networks, cutting the community off from vital resources in every direction.
North Carolina, in particular, bore the brunt of the storm, as relentless flooding transformed roads into rivers, leaving countless residents stranded and straining state resources.
Realising the severity of the situation, Perkins parked his vehicle near a closed highway and began the daunting trek toward his parents’ home. “I tried every road route I could, but the roads, no matter where you go, are blocked by landslides or failures,” he said. The hike proved treacherous; he crossed numerous mudslides, navigated fallen trees, and carried his backpack through the debris.
As he pressed on, Perkins encountered others trapped by the storm's aftermath.
After three and a half grueling hours, he finally reached his parents’ home, hiking a staggering 11 miles and climbing 2,200 feet.
“I have never been so relieved to see anyone OK,” he said, describing the overwhelming emotion of reuniting with his parents, both in their 70s but resourceful as ever.
Perkins found his parents in decent health, although their home remained largely intact, they were effectively stranded. “They have food. They are pretty much out of water, but they have enough propane to boil once they start needing to,” he told CNN.
After the emotional reunion, fog and rain rolled in, prompting Perkins to begin his descent. “I didn’t want to use their supplies, so I went ahead and decided to trek back,” he said.
"I will reiterate -- one of the most important things to do will be to support this community once the emergency is over," Perkins said in his Facebook post.
With over 130 lives lost across the southeastern United States, including at least 30 in Buncombe County alone, the aftermath of Helene was devastating. Governor Roy Cooper described the situation as “one of the worst storms in modern history,” noting that at least 280 roads remained closed, complicating rescue and relief efforts.
“My parents live in an absolute gem of the North Carolina mountains,” Perkins wrote in a Facebook post. Just an hour's drive from Asheville, the area is usually a peaceful retreat, “pleasantly very isolated,” as he put it. However, little did Perkins know that Helene had wrought havoc on the region, demolishing roads, homes, and utility networks, cutting the community off from vital resources in every direction.
North Carolina, in particular, bore the brunt of the storm, as relentless flooding transformed roads into rivers, leaving countless residents stranded and straining state resources.
Realising the severity of the situation, Perkins parked his vehicle near a closed highway and began the daunting trek toward his parents’ home. “I tried every road route I could, but the roads, no matter where you go, are blocked by landslides or failures,” he said. The hike proved treacherous; he crossed numerous mudslides, navigated fallen trees, and carried his backpack through the debris.
As he pressed on, Perkins encountered others trapped by the storm's aftermath.
After three and a half grueling hours, he finally reached his parents’ home, hiking a staggering 11 miles and climbing 2,200 feet.
“I have never been so relieved to see anyone OK,” he said, describing the overwhelming emotion of reuniting with his parents, both in their 70s but resourceful as ever.
Perkins found his parents in decent health, although their home remained largely intact, they were effectively stranded. “They have food. They are pretty much out of water, but they have enough propane to boil once they start needing to,” he told CNN.
After the emotional reunion, fog and rain rolled in, prompting Perkins to begin his descent. “I didn’t want to use their supplies, so I went ahead and decided to trek back,” he said.
"I will reiterate -- one of the most important things to do will be to support this community once the emergency is over," Perkins said in his Facebook post.
With over 130 lives lost across the southeastern United States, including at least 30 in Buncombe County alone, the aftermath of Helene was devastating. Governor Roy Cooper described the situation as “one of the worst storms in modern history,” noting that at least 280 roads remained closed, complicating rescue and relief efforts.
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