Unsung Heroes & the Untold Story of the Hurricane Helene Aftermath They Don't Want You to Hear: Out of the Chaos, Humanity is Rising

"Only in the darkness can you see the stars." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

A week after the devastating Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern United States, and firsthand reports and accounts of those living through the horror are beginning to pile up. And as they do, a clearer picture of the real story of the aftermath of this storm is beginning to emerge. Both shockingly horrifying and incredibly beautiful, it is a story about the immense power of the human spirit to overcome all odds, a story of how the most unimaginable tragedy causing so much pain and suffering is also uniting and empowering Americans, showing us the unbelievable good we are capable of and the incredible power that lies within us all. A story of all those who, having lost literally everything but their lives and their humanity in this storm, are rising from the ashes of destruction as the peaceful warriors they were born to be - heroes, one and all.

The darkest nights reveal the true number and brightness of the stars within our skies, and the chaotic darkness of this tragic storm is showing us the brightness of the stars among humanity, and just how great the number of these brightly shining beacons of light among us truly are. The darkness of this storm is reflecting back to us the brightness of the light that we truly are, reminding us that the darkness of this crazy world in these chaotic and polarizing times has not in fact extinguished the light of the human spirit, and that there is now more than ever a reason for hope.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands, perhaps even many millions of everyday American heroes have risen from among our ranks to answer the call of our neighbors and fellow countrymen in their time of greatest need and suffering in so very many different ways. And their story needs to be heard by every one of us, because it is our story too, and it is not the story of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene being told by the legacy media and its corporate talking heads or US government officials.

Unprecedented Damage & Destruction

As photo and video footage of the damage continues to be released, a picture of the true scope of the damage of Helene is beginning to emerge, and it isn't a pretty picture.

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By all accounts of those who have witnessed the hurricane aftermath, the true scope of the damage is far, far worse than is being reported by national media outlets; as it seems the Ruling Class, for whatever reason, does not want America to know just how devastating the damage from this storm truly is.

https://www.tiktok.com/@asjr1994/video/7421322011114229023

The worst damage, and certainly the most treacherous areas for survivors, appears to be in the Appalachian Mountains, with western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee most heavily impacted. And it is here, in the remote terrain of the hills and mountains, where survivors are most isolated from rescue or help of any other kind. Between heavy winds and unprecedented flooding, combined with the mudslides and landslides that followed, entire roads have been wiped out - not just damaged, but utterly demolished - with even large swaths of paved roads and Interstate highways severely affected. Most bridges in the heavily impacted areas have also been destroyed, swept away by the raging floodwaters. These conditions, combined with a massive number of downed trees further impeding travel into these areas, are severely hampering rescue and relief efforts.

Entire homes were swept away, along with cars, trucks, heavy equipment, and every other type of property imaginable.

In some areas, flood waters were so deep that they flooded second-story buildings, while others have reported flood waters rising to an impressive 30 feet deep.

Entire cities have been without power for days, while cellphone towers and telephone lines alike have been destroyed, leaving a massive number of survivors without a means of communication with the outside world, at least at first. Despite active cell service in some areas and Elon Musk donating shipments of Starlinks which are being distributed by volunteers to community hubs to help restore communications, many still remain without any means of communication but word of mouth.

In a video that went viral, on Sunday September 30, a rescue worker volunteering in Mitchell County, NC describes the carnage he has witnessed, explaining that no videos or photos can compare to seeing the devastation with one's own eyes, also stating that this is the worst damage that he and seasoned rescue volunteers have ever witnessed in decades of natural disaster relief work.

https://www.tiktok.com/@heyamerica2/video/7420328106310978862

The Tennessee Department of Transportation called the east Tennessee flooding "truly historic," describing it as a "500-year event" which the state's road and bridge infrastructure was simply not designed to withstand.

Entire towns have been practically wiped off the map, and Chimney Rock in western North Carolina is just one of a number of such examples...

https://www.tiktok.com/@kagan_dunlap/video/7420797375834230062

The city of Asheville, NC is in shambles.

The small town of Spruce Pine, NC is "destroyed," with literally all services, including gas stations and water, gone.

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Erwin, TN: "Completely destroyed."

In Mountain City, TN, an entire church building was washed away, and now lies submerged in the river.

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Swannanoa, NC "just simply doesn't exist anymore," with 85% of the town simply destroyed by the flooding.

NASCAR photographer Ty Wint hiked into Swannanoa a week post-storm to document the damage and bring in some much needed supplies. No government, no FEMA, no vehicle access, with all supplies coming in by volunteers packing it in on foot. Clearly helping in every way he can, Ty said that "every dollar" that comes in from his TikTok video report is being donated to hurricane relief efforts to help these folks in their time of need.

https://www.tiktok.com/@tywint/video/7421656445856353582

And so the story goes... Suffice it to say that, for over a million Americans living in the affected areas - much of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee - for all these survivors of this incredibly massive and severe storm, their lives will never be the same again.

For those in the most heavily impacted areas, there are no words to describe what they are living through. In a single moment of devastation, countless thousands have lost absolutely everything to their name but the clothes on their backs. Their homes, their vehicles, and all of their personal belongings swept away in an instant, by a storm so intense that no one could have ever been prepared for it. On top of this, many have also lost friends and family members, pets, and farm animals, on top of everything else. Many have lost their lives, and by all witness accounts far more than the media is letting on. Based on the witness testimony of a number of locals, the death toll appears far more likely to be in the thousands than the official number sitting somewhere between 200-300 dead. Just listen to the testimony of enough of the locals who are living through this chaos, and it becomes difficult not to conclude that the government is lying to us about the true scope of damage including the death count.

Just one such example comes through Rebecca McNair, a western North Carolina local who has been, in her own words and as her TikTok video journey demonstrates, "tirelessly working to save members of [her] community since Friday morning (Sept. 27)," coordinating with and helping connect those in need with their needed help. One week post-storm, in a video relaying firsthand information from and including direct quotes from officials with the small country Yancey County fire departments spearheading search and rescue efforts in that area which she had spoken with that day, she describes the carnage being witnessed by rescuers:

"There are four reefer trucks full of bodies...they are pulling, still, dead bodies out of the river. Five bodies were found yesterday in the New Deal area, legs are sticking out of the brush, one body was found on Claremont School Road. It looks like a nuclear bomb went off. Arms are under boulders. There's no places for these people to live because they can't set up temporary houses on mountain sides...Kids are coming out of brush piles and creek beds saying, 'where are my mom and dad?'"

https://www.tiktok.com/@glutenfreebreadwinner/video/7421950512544697642

In an interview with Mark Huneycutt on the afternoon of October 5 in her home community of Red Hill, NC, hurricane survivor and search & rescue turned search & recovery volunteer Christy Thrift of NC Outdoor Adventures shares her story, in which she describes that "They [National Guard] have marked over 100 bodies in a six mile stretch of river - possible bodies, just where they think they are," being that many of these bodies are buried in the mud, crushed by sediment, and entangled high within the trees. But, she notes, "you can smell the bodies in certain places along the river," and there is lots of vulture activity in the area.

They have perhaps only positively identified 200 and some dead bodied, Christy surmises, but the truth is that the actual number of dead is far higher than the official death count being widely reported by the establishment.

One of the more detailed firsthand accounts currently available, this interview is well worth the listen.

Particularly in the Appalachians, due to the inaccessibility, entire rural towns and communities of survivors remain isolated and stranded, the only help they saw for days coming from their fellow neighbors who survived. This same story is told again and again and again by locals all across the mountains, and Christy's community was all on their own for the first four days post-flood before the National Guard showed up. Over a week later now, and others still have yet to see any outside or government help apart from local fire departments and civilian volunteers.

Over a week after the storm first hit, and survivors continued to be rescued, or reached with outside aid for the first time, or managed to make their way to fellow survivors, each and every day. Fallen trees are everywhere, blocking roads, fallen on homes and responsible for many deaths, while initially trapping others who have since been rescued.

Those witnessing the horrifying scenes have variously described what they've seen as "apocalyptic," "a war zone," "10 times worse than Katrina," "like a nuclear bomb went off," with some government officials describing it as "biblical devastation." How the national media and US government officials can continue to describe Helene as merely 'the worst storm since Katrina', when it clearly appears to be the most devastating storm that has ravaged this land since the inception of this nation, is mind-blowing to say the least.

There have been several reports of young children walking out of debris piles, crying, and asking where their [dead] parents are. Bodies of those that didn't survive are being found in treetops, in destroyed homes and trailers, washing up on shorelines, and dug out of debris piles. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of bodies will likely never be recovered. A week and counting into the storm, and survivors who hadn't had any food since the storm hit are still wandering out of the woods to reconnect with humanity for the first time.

The level of suffering and trauma that is being endured by so many souls who are surviving the devastation of this storm is beyond comprehension, and yet the unfolding story emerging in the aftermath of this mass destruction reveals an equally beautiful picture of the sheer power of unity and the light of love within the heart of Mankind now shining brightly into the darkness around us. It is a story of the strength and resilience of the human spirit free from the political and other petty differences weaponized against humanity to polarize and divide us, tearing this nation apart.

And coming just a month before Election Day during a highly polarizing presidential election cycle, at a time when America appears to be more divided and polarized than ever before, the message of the power of unity and brotherly love that this tragic story highlights is as I see it needed now more than ever. Perhaps for those with eyes to see, this storm which has ravaged and devastated so much of the southeast is in fact far more of a blessing in disguise than most could possibly imagine. And perhaps all it takes for one to see the incredible beauty of this horrific tragedy is to listen to the story being told by those who, with their lives, are actually writing it.

In the wake of the storm, civilian aid & rescue efforts ensue: Out of the chaos of mass destruction, humanity is rising

In the wake of this unprecedented natural disaster, government 'help' was largely "nowhere to be seen" for days, apart from local fire departments and police. And so concerned civilians stepped up to the plate in droves and began to answer the call for help coming from all those impacted by the storm and in desperate need of aid and rescue.

Private helicopter army to the rescue: Volunteer civilian pilots step up, as Americans unite in support of flood victims

Following story is from a volunteer in eastern Tennessee in the immediate aftermath of the storm, but the same story was playing out all across western North Carolina and other areas impacted by the storm as well...

https://www.tiktok.com/@cayotecowgirl/video/7419846572227382574

And so, with a very slow and ineffective federal response to the emergency, civilian rescue efforts grew, and expanded, and continued. The unorganized but incredibly efficient and highly effective volunteer civilian army of earth angels that arose in the wake of this disaster continues to dominate the Helene rescue and relief efforts to this day. Apart from local law enforcement and fire departments, Helene is revealing government to be far more irrelevant for our own survival and betterment as a people than many would have imagined prior to Helene.

Civilian pilots began to offer their services by flying supply drop and search & rescue missions, as helicopters are one of the only ways to reach many isolated individuals and communities in the most remote areas, those people who are in most urgent need of help. Retired NASCAR legend Gregg Biffle is just one among hundreds of such pilots and helicopter owners donating their own choppers, time, and money for fuel to rescue and drop aid to those in need, mostly those still stranded in the mountains and entirely cutoff from access by car, truck, and in some cases even ATV.

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Cleetus McFarland, another racer turned helicopter hero who ended up flying rescue missions in western NC in his own chopper, shares his amazing story in an interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media.

The story of how he found himself called to help, and then unsuspectingly found himself being invited to stay with Biffle for the duration of his volunteer efforts with all fuel costs paid for, is full of synchronicity, as are so many of the inspiring stories of those helping out that I've heard so far. As Cleetus relates, at the start of his first day flying search and rescue missions in North Carolina, there were only three or four helicopters at the location they were operating out of, by the end of his first day the number had grown to ten, and by the end of his second day of flying there were already 40 private helicopters dropping supplies and flying search and rescue missions.

That number quickly grew to 50, and this volunteer "private helicopter army" saved many lives and is largely responsible for getting the people of these mountains the food, water, medicine and supplies needed to survive. Although a number of these pilots showed up entirely of their own volition, the nonprofit Operation Airdrop was one of the prominent private organizations helping to organize this grassroots effort and recruit private pilots.

From the Cajun Navy to the 'Redneck Marines' - the nickname that volunteer pilot and ex-marine Matt McSwain gave to the search, rescue and supply efforts coordinated by Operation Airdrop - Americans are in the wake of Helene uniting in droves as neighbors helping neighbors like never before. And the life-saving, world-changing, paradigm-shattering power of this unity is really shining through.

For a good many of these rural Appalachian mountain communities, such as Swannanoa, the aid and supplies brought in by these volunteer pilots is the only outside help they've gotten.

Without this massive civilian effort and the countless volunteers who stepped up to make it all happen, many more lives would have been lost. Just two examples of this reality is found in the story of the separate rescues of an 11-day-old prematurely born baby and an 87-year old woman just hours away from running out of oxygen in the mountains of western North Carolina last Monday; both of whom would have soon died without oxygen and medical care. The team responsible for these life-saving rescues consisted of the nonprofit Aerial Rescue's Charlie Keebaugh, civilian helicopter pilot Zeb Hadley with his private chopper, Florida State Guardsman Jonathan Howard and his team, and pilot Mark Roseman, with critical coordination provided by the nonprofit Save Our Allies.

Following their life-saving efforts, Charlie shares the inspiring story:

Full interview with Aerial Rescue's Charlie Keebaugh on these life-saving rescues on Spotify.

Charlie, Jon, Zeb and Mark later tell their story together in a FOX News interview, linked below.

This particular story of just two heroic rescues, illustrative of the bigger story of the private helicopter army that stepped up to save the day in the face of a slow and seemingly entirely ineffective federal government response to the disaster, reveals the true nature of the entire massive collective volunteer response to the Helene aftermath. Helpers from all walks of life and all over the nation came together and are still coming together in the most amazing of ways, in order to help their neighbors and fellow countrymen.

Here we see an example of State Guardsmen receiving no federal government support, working with a volunteer civilian pilot donating his own time/money and private helicopter, alongside several nonprofit relief and human rights organizations. Much the same story is playing out all across the region, particularly in the Appalachians where the storm hit the hardest.

Local firefighters, law enforcement, and volunteers are working hand in hand with a host of private organizations and countless volunteers of all types from all over the country; a show of neighbor loving neighbor at its finest. This impressive show of unity is testament to the incredible power of humanity acting together as one, united by a common love and compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters of humanity, as compared to our recently 'normal' collective state of dis-empowerment when divided by our petty differences, driven by fear.

And regardless of how many people have or haven't actually been rescued or helped by the National Guard - whose leaders would like to take all of the credit for this heroic Helene response - the fact remains that without the innumerable volunteers and generosity of the American people as a whole, many more lives would have been lost, with thousands of people across the Appalachians surviving to this day only because of the valiant efforts of this overwhelmingly private army of volunteer first responders.

But, as critical as all of these many dozens of 'air angels' have been to those in need of help, the countless volunteers on the ground are playing an equally important role in this response, these 'foot soldiers' also responsible for saving many lives.

A generation of heroes is born, breathing hope into the human spirit, renewing faith in humanity

From Day 1, support for the hurricane victims began to pour in from concerned citizens all around the country, in the form of millions in donations and on-the-ground support alike. And while many have lost their lives to this storm, many more lives have been saved by everyday American heroes who rose to the occasion. The number of unsung heroes who played key roles in the saving of so many lives in the aftermath of this storm may never be known, in this story that continues to unfold to this day.

The countless stories of the unsung heroes of Helene will likely continue to be made known for weeks to come, as more and more stories from 'ground zero' are coming out by the hour, while a few began to emerge from the get go. Indeed, even in the eye of the storm as the floodwaters raged were many heroes seen among us, with some of this heroism even caught on camera.

In Atlanta, Georgia, a FOX News reporter stepped away from his live report to rescue a woman caught in the floodwaters, while the camera crew caught the rescue and reunion of the rescued woman with her husband on film. AP reports:

In Ashe County, North Carolina, a man named Eddie who was only in the area for a weekend visit took the initiative and risked his own life to rescue a woman caught in her home as the raging floodwaters began to wash it away and carry it downstream. The heroic rescue was caught on camera. Speaking to local reporters following the incident, Eddie explains that he jumped into action because he couldn't just stand there and watch a fellow human in need die.

When it was happening, I was trying to make a calculated risk, how do we save her. ... I grew up swimming on a swim team, I was a lifeguard, I'm in okay shape, and I just couldn't watch her die; I felt like I needed to do that.

Local news channel WCNC reports the story:

Higher up in the mountains, in Avery County, North Carolina, in the small town of Frank, a 75 year old man by the name of Junior Singleton helped Casey Adam Young's grandparents to safety before wading into the deep floodwaters and rescuing a neighboring family before their trailer was washed away, as so many were. Casey's grandmother managed to capture video footage of this elderly American hero helping those neighbors to safety, which he then posted to Instagram. Due to the initial widespread disruption of electronic communications in affected areas, it wasn't posted until days later on Wednesday (Oct. 2).

https://www.tiktok.com/@wxbrad/video/7420965839739948331

With so many still cut off from electronic communications with the outside world, there are no doubt already far more tales of heroism in the wake of this storm than have currently been made public, and the story isn't even over yet. Meanwhile, those who helped save their neighbors from drowning in the flooding are just the tip of the iceberg of heroes saving lives in the wake of this storm. Nor are the only heroes of this story those who are directly saving lives, but all of those who have stepped up to come to the aid of their neighbors and fellow countrymen in this time of such great need.

In Washington County, Tennessee, locals took the initiative to reopen the Jackson Creek Bridge - unreachable by county workers - banding together to clear one of the only bridges in the area that survived the flooding in tact. Local News Channel 11, WJHL, reports:

Nor is this an isolated incident. While county workers and state DOT's do their best working to clear the more accessible roads and begin the long process of road repair and restoration throughout the region, which will likely take months to complete, locals in Appalachia aren't waiting around for government crews to reach them. Volunteer road clearing and restoration efforts throughout rural Appalachia began almost immediately and are ongoing, as the immense project of restoring road access to these rural areas continues - both from the 'outside' in and from the 'inside' out.

In Augusta County, NC, the local Sheriff's Deparment even escorted a volunteer road clearing crew comprised of a local man and a friend of his who drove several hours to join him for the effort, as they spent the day clearing major roads and a number of residences of fallen trees throughout the local communities. Another hero was born, and the locals were thrilled.

For many, becoming a hero simply meant helping family, friends and neighbors as best as one could.

On Saturday (Sept. 29), one such hero, North Carolina man Sam Perkins, set out to reach his parents house in the heavily impacted area of Spruce Pine-Burnesville to make sure they were okay, having not heard from them since the storm hit.

https://www.tiktok.com/@pattrn/video/7420844910850362667

Driving in as far as he could, Sam then set out on foot, hiking in 11 miles and up 2,200 feet in elevation through treacherous terrain to his parents house, eternally grateful to find them alive with their home still standing - though "surrounded by devastation" - doing well considering the circumstances. They were entirely locked in by fallen trees and flood damage, but were surviving, and with a roof over their heads unlike so many others in the area.

He shared his story on Facebook, before it was picked up by local media, and can be read below.

Sam was met with surreal conditions on his hike in and said he was still processing the unbelievable scenes he witnessed, including "multiple people trapped by devastation in both directions of the highway [226A]."

He describes being able to hitchhike with a local for a short stretch of his long journey, and another local giving him some apples from their orchard as he hiked past. He says that upon his return home, he was going to focus on doing what he could to try and help get his parents some supplies.

For many individuals who did what little they could to help their neighbors, one thing led to another, and, well, they just keep helping in whatever random ways they can be of help, coordinating with those they cross paths with who need or wish to be of help.

In the following video, Fraser Jones, a young man and video producer for Atlanta Journal Constitution who had been covering the hurricane and its aftermath in Georgia, shares his story of heading up to Asheville, NC where the damage was much worse in hopes of rescuing his mom.

As Jones recounts, "I hadn't heard from her in a few days, uh, it wasn't until Saturday that she got cell service again; she climbed to the top of a mountain and called me with one bar of service, telling me how dire the situation was in Asheville." From a recording of that phone call:

Maybe I'll be able to drive out by the end of the week, I can't get any text, any phone, I mean the whole city is decimated. The water rose at the river at least 21 feet, and houses were floating down, a person was on top of a house yelling for help, and it's awful, it's really tragic and very heartbreaking what's happening here, but I'm fine.

His journey is successful as he is able to reach him mother's house and get her out of there before she ran out of food, and he utilized his presence in Asheville to film the damage and interview a number of locals regarding the dire situation the city was in and the ways the community was coming together to help one another out.

The number of helpers is far too great to count, but certainly thousands upon thousands of individuals outside the flood zone and thousands more within it are among the countless unsung heroes and peaceful warriors who have through the past week helped saved many lives, ease much human suffering, and show America that perhaps we as Americans are not nearly as divided or dis-empowered as the establishment would have us believe. Stories of everyday Americans-turned-heroes in the face of disaster began to trickle in from the get go, before eventually flooding the internet as more and more individuals are able to get their own such stories out to the public.

These are but a brief sampling of such stories, countless stories, stories of unlikely heroes rising to the occasion, of neighbor helping neighbor; of those who, when the occasion arose, put all else aside in order to help save the lives of their fellow countrymen, ease the suffering of their neighbors, and restore life to a decimated land in whatever way they could. And while cities like Asheville may lie in ruins, the situation was and is far worse for thousands of folks scattered throughout the hills and mountains of rural Appalachia.

Survival in the Appalachians, as communities come together like never before

Those in the most isolated areas of the mountains were all forced to rely upon themselves for any immediate help they needed, as any outside help that would eventually come was initially days away. In the Big Hungry Gorge near Hendersonville, NC, locals rigged up a makeshift pulley system to get supplies across the Green River to folks who are stranded - in a shopping cart - as the only bridge in the area was destroyed. Locals are reporting that similar zip-line systems are being used all across the hills. What creativity and genius folks are tapping into, in order to survive and help out their neighbors in need!

https://www.tiktok.com/@forensicnursetoattorney/video/7421510445728566559

Elsewhere, near the NC/TN border, where the only bridge connecting communities on either side of the Elk River, neighbors in Elk Park, North Carolina constructed a makeshift bridge out of flatbed trailers in order to get supplies to the otherwise cut off neighboring communities of Butler and Elk Mills across the river in Tennessee just a short drive away.

“Everybody has pulled together, and we’re getting our roads cleared, we’re getting there," John Priestino, who has been making frequent supply runs since the flood waters receded, said. "Slowly but surely.”

The makeshift bridge unable to facilitate truck travel, resident volunteers are instead now getting much needed supplies into the neighboring Tennessee towns with ATVs.

“You can’t get a truck across the bridge we built, but you can get side by sides, so a bunch of side by sides, we’ve been getting together and running supplies back and forth,” Priestino said.

The ingenuity and dedication of folks throughout these mountains is impressive; and the way in which local individuals and communities, nonprofits, and volunteers of all types from all across the country are coming together in the wake of this disaster to support those in need in so many different ways is both incredibly beautiful and a testament to the power of a people united.

It is the same story, over and over and over again, coming from the survivors of these remote mountain towns and local media alike. Neighbors are helping neighbors and communities are coming together like never before, with civilian-led volunteer efforts leading the charge in the Helene response, dominating rescue, aid, relief and restoration efforts to this day.

As soon as the storm passed, the initial survivors immediately began to help and rescue anyone they could in any way they could. Then, in the wake of the initial aftermath of the storm, communities banded together and shared whatever goods could be salvaged to survive, while helping one another with cleanup and restoration efforts. One such survivor is YouTube user Stephanie, who, along with her family, survived the flooding in their small mountain community in western NC, and has been sharing that story of survival ever since, giving day-by-day updates. The following video recounts Days 5 & 6 of the aftermath:

Big takeaways from her firsthand accounts include that things are far worse than can be imagined, people are in shock but banding together to help one another survive, and there is no one coming to their aid but their fellow neighbors. All of the crazy horror stories that are and will be coming out in the aftermath of Helene are definitely true, she says. Their particular community wasn't hit all that hard compared to other nearby communities that sustained far worse damage, she relates, but the 'not so bad' local devastation is still so great that all of the locals were initially certain their area was hit the hardest until they learned otherwise.

With an entirely new daily routine in the wake of the storm, their day now starts with a meal, then coordinating and working with neighbors to help in any way they can - all day - followed by dinner and sleep, before doing it all over again the next day. She recounts how at some point one of the locals was asking when help was going to arrive, to which she responded: "We are the help."

This seems to be the mentality and reality of just about everybody in rural Appalachia right now. They understand that there is nobody coming to help, at least not initially, and that it is up to them to band together and do whatever is necessary to survive and beat what must appear to be unbeatable odds. The final 20 minutes or so of the video recounts a number of emotional personal stories and relays accounts of both survival and those not so fortunate to make it through the storm alive.

Below is her latest update, from Days 7 & 8, and though I haven't yet had time to watch it myself, I'm sure it is filled with relevant and some of the most up-to-date firsthand information on conditions representative of those communities still weathering the Helene aftermath alone and cut off from civilization deep in the Appalachians...

Another example of how small rural Appalachian communities are coming together to survive is found in the following coverage by SCRIPPS NEWS, in which a reporter traveled to Fairview, NC on a mission to see if and how the locals were coming together as a community to help one another weather the chaotic aftermath of the storm. The local church has become the community hub, where volunteers cook food for the community, and the locals find support and coordinate their efforts to help restore their devastating town.

Many of the most rural mountain communities - unincorporated townships, villages and hollers - some of which do not even have fire departments or police, have still yet to see a single government agency or government 'help' of any kind. And yet help is finally beginning to reach even the most remote areas of the Appalachians, thanks to the incredible efforts of innumerable civilian volunteers and nonprofits.

Ryan Tyre is one such individual working with rescue teams determined to reach the most remote and isolated mountain areas where locals are otherwise entirely cut off from society, support, and much needed supplies. An October 5 update on these efforts is linked below, and the featured photos are from the Green Mountain, NC area. Volunteers were also able to reach and get supplies into the remote town of Marshall, "where their homes have been either damaged by the flood waters to the point of being unlivable or just completely deleted from the earth."

Ryan further describes how the situation on the ground across Appalachia "is not only challenging, but dire," that critical infrastructure is "completely decimated in most of these places," and given the circumstances and nature of the storm destruction, there is much concern given with winter right around the corner. But there is much reason for hope, with all of the help that is flooding in all across the region in so many forms, and life saving medical care is incoming for many.

We have coordinated a group of Doctors that will be bringing life saving medical supplies, well above and beyond basic first aid needs. They will be traveling by helicopter to areas that are inaccessible by vehicle to give that life saving aid.

He concludes with this:

I call on the people of this country to help us help these people. They have been largely neglected and are deserving of our compassion and help in any way that we can deliver it.

I can't speak for the government and what they are or aren't doing, but i can speak for our efforts.

We are just everyday citizens, husbands, wives, sons and daughters, standing together to help those in need.

We will not stop, until our mission is complete.

Others are hiking supplies in to the cut off community of Erwin, Tennessee.

Shaken, but unmoved, a great many people of Appalachia are determined to remain in their rural mountain communities and to survive, no matter how long and how much effort it takes to restore a sense of normalcy. While some are rescued or find their own way back into civilization, others who have lost their homes are opting to live in tents rather than leave, or are left with no other option, being unable to afford somewhere else to go and with extremely limited vacancies in booked up hotels across the region. "For how long?" Gregg Biffle asks. "Nobody knows."

As communications in some locations begin to be restored and word from rescued individuals regarding the reality of the dire situation for so many begins to spread, and more people hear the cries for help being put out by those seemingly left in the mountains to die, more everyday Americans are jumping to answer the call.

One fellow with property in rural Kentucky - 'Mountain View Ranch' - has even put out a truly heartwarming video, inviting any and all of those across the region displaced by the storm or in need of refuge to his 84 acres in the mountains of eastern KY to stay as long as they want or need. "I got a place for you to come, to get your bearings...if you need to be here permanently, temporarily, it doesn't matter to me...and I don't have much...but what I do have is this mountain, and I invite anyone who needs to come," he said.

https://www.tiktok.com/@mountainviewranch11/video/7422288088702913834

This is the true spirit of humanity right here, and the spirit of love that will save us and carry us into a new earth reality of unity, peace, and freedom.

"My land is your land, and the darkness is all around us, guys, but I'll tell you what, it's time for the light to shine. You're the light, we're the light, man. ... We only have each other, no man's gonna to come and save us, no political party's gonna save us. We The People are all we got right now. If you can't look around and see this, then, then you're blind."

This is the truth humanity needs to see and here right now, spoken from the heart, and in the spirit of unity this country and this world so desperately needs more of these days - "My land is your land."

For those who may be in need or know someone in need of a place to stay, people can contact this man for more information via private message on his TikTok page - https://www.tiktok.com/@mountainviewranch11.

Inspiring stories inspire others to action, and so the cycle of neighbor helping neighbor continues, and grows, and spreads. Until, in just a matter of days into the storm's aftermath, an entire army of civilian helpers, heroes and angels from every corner of society have risen like a Phoenix from the ashes of Helene's destruction to remind humanity who we really are and what we are truly capable of when we collectively tap into our inner power together as one.

All that must be done is to put all of our petty differences and fears aside, and simply band together in love as the one human family we truly are, and suddenly the entire world begins to change in unimaginably positive ways in the blink of an eye. Light truly does dissolve the darkness.

Animal rescuers and rescued animals

North Carolina locals are utilizing goats to pack supplies miles deep into the mountains where people can only be reached by foot or air.

Others are doing the same, but with mules, donkeys and horses.

Folks with the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch are packing much needed supplies and life-saving medicine into areas that can only be reached on foot or by air. One of their first missions was to deliver insulin along with ice to a couple who was running out of their supply, saving lives.

Horses and their owners are also running search and rescue missions, lots of horses and very many riders.

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In Sugar Grove, NC, a group of nurses headed into one of the harder hit areas on horseback, "working to transport supplies and medical help to people in difficult-to-reach areas," with medicine being one of the most urgent needs so for many.

A video report on this rescue effort can be seen in the local news report on this story linked below.

Kelsey Gull is just another hero on horseback who has been riding with friends in some of the most treacherous terrain to remote areas in western North Carolina, and managed to bring one lady out on October 6 while getting supplies to another couple deep in the hills. Nor was this the first soul she helped rescue...

https://www.tiktok.com/@kelsey.elizabeth5/video/7422525940799966495

Meanwhile, as animals such as these have been crucial in helping save countless human lives, there are also those humans saving the lives of many animals.

Volunteers in Georgia are working with the Coast Guard to rescue horses.

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Many horses are being rescued, with the search and rescue team featured below getting hay across waterways to feed a number of horses stranded in Black Mountain, NC, keeping them alive until they are able to get them out.

A number of animals, including dogs, have survived by taking shelter on rooftops of floating homes.

And many dogs have been rescued as well.

Woven throughout every single one of the stories and accounts I have seen or heard from those on the ground in the wake of this disaster is the very same thread of tragedy, loss, shock, despair, unity, heroism, hope, and resilience. And it is this thread that is weaving the greater story of human redemption out of tragedy and peace out of chaos that the world so desperately needs to hear.

Following video compilation of the heroes of Helene is heartwarming, and well captures the essence of this most inspiring story we see unfolding before our eyes.

https://gab.com/CertainHOPE/posts/113255012709230236

The power of Love: In our darkest hour, when we need God more than ever, God shows up

The following heartfelt message from a storm survivor trying to make sense of the disaster and deep trauma it has caused so many, as well as the insanity of the political hyper-polarization of Americans fueling so much hate and darkness at the expense of our shared humanity, well captures the essence of the sad and seemingly hopeless reality of the state of affairs here in America that so many have been feeling lately.

Full message below:

The poor soul lost her father and everything else to this storm, is incredibly saddened by so much division, hatred and lack of compassion seen across social media platforms, and ended her message with the simple observation, "We need more God."

"God is love," and I know that many millions of Americans can feel deep within themselves this underlying truth, that the only thing needed to break the downward spiral into increasingly deeper darkness and division that we as the human race seem to be so helplessly caught in, is simply more love. Love is the golden thread which binds us all together as one, enshrined in the Golden Rule which is universal to all religions and spiritual traditions.

As put in lyrics sung by MC Yogi: "Love is the answer, love is the key, love is the glue between you and me; open up your heart and you will see, love is the thing that will set you free; love is the remedy, love is the cure, love's the only thing that will stop the war; it's what the whole world is looking for, so what in the world are you waiting for? Give love, give love away..."

And every single one of us is capable of giving a little more love to this world so entrenched in the darkness of fear, as the overwhelming response to this great tragedy is clearly showing us.

Thankfully, although many who have been strongly impacted by the pain, suffering and trauma caused by this storm may not yet see or feel it, that is exactly what the aftermath of this storm is bringing to the region - more God, more love, more neighbor loving neighbor, and more synchronicity guiding helpers to those in need of help.

In a number of cases, such as the countless untold stories of 'just one person' doing what little they could to help, things begin to come together in such unplanned, synchronistic ways that it can only be described as miraculous.

Courtney Dailey described her own such experience as God showing up on the scene and making the seemingly impossible not only possible, but practically effortless, in a video posted to social media.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ally60__/video/7421361812496583967

Courtney packed her family into her car to drive a few hours to the flood damage zone with no real plan but to help a friend whose home was ravaged by flooding however they could that day, tells just one such heartwarming and inspiring story. She is far from alone, however, revealing that when humanity unites in love to help her fellow brothers and sisters of humanity in need, God/Love shows up in all of its power and glory.

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As she describes, without much in the way of equipment or a crew or supplies or even a plan, her family simply showed up in eastern TN at a friend's house in an area where much help was needed. "We showed up this morning not knowing what we were gonna do," she explains, with only boots, shovels to dig out mud, and her husband's excavator so he could move debris around. "And we showed up, and the entire day long, God showed up, over and over and over again," she recalled, going on to explain just how "every single thing we needed" came their way, including workers, supplies, and all the tools they would need to complete initial home cleanup and repairs of their friend's house that day.

The power of God, of love, is mightily at work in the wake of this disaster, and though some may not yet see it or may not name what they are seeing as such, many are seeing it and feeling it, and being touched and moved and inspired by it. It is palpable, and it is breathing hope into a highly polarized society, and power into a dis-empowered people, just when we need it most, at a time when many had begun to lose faith in humanity.

Humanity Rising

It is unfortunate that it takes such catastrophic devastation as this to really shake humanity to the core and remind us what really matters most in life, but the storm came, and so we began to see. And suddenly, just like that, all of our petty differences just began to fall away. And there is no black and white here, no left or right, no rich or poor, and no religious differences pushing us apart.

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No, here, in the eye of the storm, there is only the darkness around us and light within us, and the choice to shine our light or be consumed by the darkness. The storm is indeed here, but not to destroy us. Rather, it is here to remind us of what and who we really are. To wash away the old in order to make room for the new. And at the end of the day, when all else is stripped away but our shared humanity, then we can clearly see that we are all just human beings, all brothers and sisters of one family. Who all bleed red, who all just want love, and desire peace, and seek the freedom to be who we are, what we were all born to be - free spirits reflecting our light to one another.

And out of this chaos, eventually, we shall find our peace.

The world we have all come to know may appear to be coming apart at the seams all around us, with systems failing, currencies inflating, establishments crumbling, paradigms shattering, wars raging, politics polarizing, and darkness all around us. But if there is anything Helene has shown us, it is that darkness, destruction and chaos doesn't have to destroy us. In fact, it can unite us and in turn set us free. And it has, and it is, and there can be no going back now. The night is always darkest just before the dawn. We are in that darkness, but a new day is dawning.

Humanity is rising, out of fear and into love, shining brighter by the day, and there is no darkness that could ever put out our light or prevent our ascent.

---

"Clear the way
My love is coming through
Ignite the flame
My light will shine for you
Fight the night and do what I got to do
Kiss the sky to prove myself
So clear the way
My love is coming through"
--Matisyahu, Fire of Freedom