MARION, N.C. — Ponderosa Park was once home to dozens of families in Marion. Now, it's nothing but a muddy mess. Folks who have called the area home for years, don't know if they'll be allowed back due to the extensive damage caused by Helene.
Like many others in the foothills, Elvin Tapia was stunned Helene hit them as hard as it did, "we never expected this to happen."
The storm was so powerful in Marion, that it ravaged the mobile home park where Tapia's extended family lives, he was there helping them clean up what was left of their home.
"He's [his cousin and the owner of the mobile home] saying that they might not let him stay here… maybe," said Tapia.
The same goes for next-door neighbors, Samantha Hollifield and Isaiah Whitesides, the couple said their home is a complete loss.
"Well, really truly… I'm thankful that we're alive," said Hollifield.
Before Helene hit, they were packed up and ready to move. Now, their boxes are full of things that are so much harder to look through.
"Now that we've found stuff, I'm getting a little more bummed out and sad," Whitesides said.
It's like the more things we find, the more things we realized actually had sentiment to it… the more it hurts," said Hollifield.
Also on the couple's mind, is their fast-approaching wedding. The two are set to get married next weekend. Still, in the midst of this tragedy, they're bound and determined to tie the knot.
"I'm getting married regardless. I'm getting married regardless," Hollifield said with a smile.
The couple said it's not at all how they expected things to go, but they were able to salvage one of the most important parts of their wedding day.
"We did lose a couple of things… but the wedding dress is okay, the wedding dress is okay!" said Hollifield.
Hollifield wouldn't share a photo of her wedding dress for fear her husband-to-be might see it. But overall, she said the two could not be more blessed that things weren't worse for them.
"I mean really, truly, I'm not just saying that… I've said it the whole time, I mean really, truly, I consider us to be blessed," said Hollifield.
Despite the devastation here in western North Carolina, the couple we spoke with said what they're looking forward to now is their honeymoon in Bermuda. Mainly so they can take a hot shower whenever they'd like.