THOMASVILLE, N.C. — The Holly Hill Memorial Park Cemetery became a place of unity and prayer as dozens gathered, bowing their heads, joining hands, and sending love to those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
They stood together in support of countless families who lost loved ones and whose lives have been forever changed.
"It was led on my heart to be able to say, 'hey, let's get together. God said, whenever two or three gathered that he's there too,'" said Kimberly Turner, who co-organized the prayer vigil.
"And with that being said, I felt like our community needed to come together. I am so proud to be from here. We've really picked up as a community and come together to be able to donate and to raise money and different events."
In Thomasville, dozens stood shoulder to shoulder to honor more than a hundred lives lost after Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina.
"I don't want another mother to have to go through that," Turner said.
"There are family members that don’t even know where they are, and that's heart-wrenching to me. Knowing that there, you might not see them again—I know that feeling, and it really breaks my heart."
For Turner, this tragedy strikes close to home. She has friends in western North Carolina she hasn't heard from in weeks, but she holds on to hope that they’re safe.
"There are a couple of friends that we have in Asheville," Turner said. "That area, you know, was massively impacted. We’ve yet to be able to talk to them. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I just hope our prayers reach them."
The group lit candles and said their prayers, holding on to hope for better days ahead. This small community believes in the power of prayer, hoping it reaches far beyond Thomasville.
"I thought this was a very spiritual feeling, and I felt close to all my friends in western North Carolina," said Edwina Hardee, who lives in Thomasville. "I’ve had several people impacted, and I just wanted to come out, show my support, and let them all know that I'm praying for them."
Many at the vigil had family and friends directly affected by the hurricane, but others came simply to stand in solidarity, offering support and showing that they care.
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