BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — There's one thing that people impacted by Hurricane Helene have repeatedly told our WFMY News 2 reporters in the weeks since the storm hit — don't forget western North Carolina.
While supplies are rolling in now and resources have been there and are still headed that way, many fear that the public will forget about them in the months and years to follow, the time when they really need the most help.
We've heard many stories of people heading to different cities and towns in the area to offer assistance.
Camille Queen lives in western North Carolina. She said when Helene arrived, she lost power and cell service. She didn't know what was happening outside her flooded neighborhood for days.
When Queen finally got online, she saw the widespread devastation the storm caused. That's when she and her husband decided to start helping in any way they could — by delivering supplies, working at distribution centers and helping clean.
But the need for help remains.
"We are gonna start seeing a really big need for propane heaters and space heaters for areas that are starting to get some electricity back but ... it got down into the thirties last night, so it's gonna start getting cold."
The Randolph County Sheriff's Office was back out west again today. Several people, including Sheriff Greg Seabolt, delivered supplies to people who couldn't get out of their homes.
The team has also been searching for people who have been missing since the storm. Seabolt said a group from Florida assisted search efforts Friday using a cadaver dog.
Many people out west have lost everything. Their homes, pets, family members ... their entire livelihoods.
On Tuesday, WFMY News 2 reporter Amber Lake spoke with Andre Gagne, founder of Next Level Disaster Relief, a nonprofit that works to help people when disasters hit.
Gagne has been a firefighter and federal disaster responder since 1997, even responding to the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He said Helene left some of the worst scenes he has ever encountered.
"This was devastatingly different," Gagne said. "It's a completely different scenario. It's the worst disaster I've ever been involved in."
Along with the disaster response teams on the ground, many people from the Triad have made their way to different towns to help in any way they can.
You may remember Les Atkins, former public information officer with Alamance-Burlington Schools. Now he works for a nonprofit, and he recruited some friends from a workout group to join him at a distribution center in West Jefferson.
Atkins told WFMY News 2 that he encountered a young dad at the distribution center who was there with an infant. Eight trees had fallen on his house from the storm, and he had recently moved his wife into a tent.
The dad told Atkins he came down to get some essentials while his wife got some much-needed sleep.
"We were able to provide him and just load his truck up. We even found a gas can to give to him so that he would have an extra gas can to keep the generator running in hopes of just keeping that baby warm."
In Eden, Purina donated nearly 3,200 bags of pet food to western North Carolina. Mabe Trucking also stepped up to haul it over as soon as they could.
If you have been affected by Helene, here's a list of helpful resources.
Looking for ways to support residents of western North Carolina affected by Helene? We've compiled a list of reputable organizations that are already delivering aid, and you can find it here.
If you would like to donate online to the American Red Cross, you can use the following link: WFMY News 2 is supporting the American Red Cross.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.