Firefighters in a hard-hit N.C. mountain community are mourning a fire chief and his nephew, who were killed rescuing others during a mudslide caused by Hurricane Helene last month. 

Battalion Chief Tony Ray Garrison, 51, died Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Fairview, North Carolina. His nephew, Brandon Ruppe was killed as well, according to the Garren Creek Fire Department, which said 13 people from the community died in the storm. 

What You Need To Know

  • Battalion Chief Tony Ray Garrison is one of 95 people who died in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene

  • The flooding in Fletcher, N.C., reached historic levels

  • Garrison also worked with the U.S. Forest Service and taught at A-B Tech in Asheville

The storm's death toll in N.C. has reached 95 after Helene’s historic flooding, according to state data. Fletcher, N.C., saw over 30 feet of flooding, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Battalion Chief Tony R. Garrison was killed on Sept. 27 while rescuing others. (Courtesy of Forest Lawn Funeral Home)

Garrison, also known as “Bones” or “G,” was a member of the Buncombe County Task Force, volunteered with the Garren Creek Fire Department, worked with the U.S. Forest Service and taught at A-B Tech in Asheville, N.C., the Forest Lawn Funeral Home said.

Garrison’s funeral will be held at Trinity of Fairview at 646 Concord Road in Fletcher at noon Wednesday.

“We are a small community, and we mourn the loss of our beloved neighbors and members of our fire department, including Tony Garrison, who lost his life selflessly working to rescue others during Hurricane Helene, carrying out his commitment to serving our community in their time of need, as he had done valiantly throughout his career,” Garren Creek Fire District Chief Wade Wright said in a press release.

“Brandon Ruppe, Tony Garrison’s nephew, lost his life beside Tony while bravely assisting to save their neighbors when the mudslide hit. We lost 13 members of our community due to the storm, but I am thankful that as of Monday, Oct. 7, all missing persons have been recovered,” Wright said.

The press release did not specify their causes of death.

The flooding in Fletcher was due to water from several streams meeting at the French Broad River Valley, causing high water to concentrate in this area, according to NOAA. The flooding caused mudslides and road closures and damaged farmland.

Garrison is survived by his wife of 28 years, Mary Chantelle Garrison, and his two children, Hannah and Chase Garrison, according to his obituary.