BURNSVILLE, N.C. — As western North Carolina communities and businesses rebuild from the destruction of Hurricane Helene three weeks ago, some residents remain cut off after roads and bridges washed out.
Jeffrey Auletta says he and his wife were taken by surprise by the rapidly rising Cane River.
“I told her if the water hits the road, don’t let it touch your toes,” he said. “I heard her shriek. About 30 seconds later the water came this way and it was whitewater rapids coming down the road.”
In Burnsville, the Yancey County seat that sits at the foot of Mount Mitchell, U.S. 19 was washed out and a bridge was destroyed. State transit officials say some roads could take months to repair.
Auletta has been cut off on the other side of the river from the town near the Tennessee border.
“We were three or four days before anybody got to us,” he said.
The road in front of his house, which used to be surrounded by gardens and walnut trees, was washed away, along with some of his possessions.
“We lost a new truck, a new SUV, my side-by-side, my dump trailer,” he said. “Some of the stuff is in the graveyard right now, some of the other stuff probably floated down to Tennessee.”
Auletta says volunteers, including Jeffrey Spears, finally reached them with food and water.
Spears drove up from Florida with supplies, eager to lend a hand.
“These people, they don’t know where their children are, they don’t know where their husbands and wives are, their parents are,” he said. “There’s so much displacement.”
Auletta says he remains focused on rebuilding and helping his neighbors.
“We lost everything, but we’re still here, and we still have our faith, and every day it’s rejuvenated by great people coming and helping us out the best they can,” he said.