HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A western North Carolina woman who was rescued at 34 weeks pregnant days after Hurricane Helene is living in the Charlotte area temporarily.
Whitney Albers and her mother, Carrie Thompson, were rescued by helicopter from their home in Spruce Pine at the end of September.
Albers had her daughter Charleigh in October, almost two weeks after the storm, at a Charlotte hospital.
“I’m grateful to be a mom again. She’s been a gift for sure,” Albers said.
Albers has a fresh tattoo honoring her late daughter: Charlotte.
“I lost my first child last year to [sudden infant death syndrome],” Albers said. “She was four months and three days old.”
Albers never imagined Charleigh would spend the first few months of her life in Huntersville, more than 100 miles away from their home in Spruce Pine.
Helene damaged Thompson’s rental where Albers lived at the time.
“As the morning went on, me and my mom continued to hear trees snapping, which was kind of scary because we didn’t know if one was going to hit the house,” Albers said.
With a tree blocking the driveway, they were stuck and like many in that area, they had no power, cell service or running water.
“It would have been like a five-mile walk to even get to the nearest business so there was no going anywhere, and we couldn't call anyone. So we were essentially stranded there,” Albers said.
Three days after the storm, Thompson jumped into action after Albers started experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, which can be felt during pregnancy and can be mistaken for true labor contractions.
“As a mother, I just knew I was helpless as far as getting us out of there. And when I seen there was somebody in the helicopter, I just frantically, I was going to flag them down no matter what. We needed to be rescued,” Thompson said.
Thompson used hand gestures to show the pilot her daughter was expecting.
“That’s the only thing that went through my mind, I need to get her to a hospital,” Thompson said.
They went to three area hospitals and at least one of them had no running water. Eventually, they were transported to a Charlotte hospital.
“I was really scared because of my health problems that I wasn't going to make it, so I was just glad that we were both OK,” Albers said.
The trio is staying in a hotel room in Huntersville they were able to secure through a FEMA voucher.
Most of the items filling their room come from donations.
“Just outpouring love and support for us,” Albers said.
The love and support is carrying them through the holiday season and they are counting their blessings every day.
“God gifted me with my grandchild for Christmas, and that's all I need,” Thompson said. “That's the greatest gift I could have ever gotten.”
The family spent a few days of the holiday season with family in western North Carolina. They plan to return to Spruce Pine after the new year, but they say they are waiting for their rental house to undergo repairs.