Middle Tennesseans are no strangers to disasters and when help is needed, they’re always quick to step up.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, first responders and volunteers nationwide, including Middle Tennesseans, are stepping up to help those in need.
Middle Tennesseans are no strangers to disasters and when help is needed, they’re always quick to step up.
On Sept. 27, North Carolina storm victim Cody Henson posted a cry for help on Facebook. He described his family’s situation as Hurricane Helene arrived in Swannanoa, a small community outside Asheville.
“We are currently trapped on this mountainside as the mudslide slowly takes the land beneath our feet one large mass at a time, as we watch it get sucked over the cliff helpless to do anything about it,” Henson said. “The worst part is being stuck on this tiny piece of property that is being held by mere roots as we hear the deafening sound of massive 60-foot trees snapping and falling all around us, interrupted by the cries of neighbors pleading for help. If anyone knows how to get help to us, please let my family know how to as this may be the last message I can send.”
That’s when Luke Williams and his friend Andy Scott drove 12 hours from Dickson County, Tennessee to Swannanoa to rescue Henson’s family and his elderly neighbors. Both of them are teachers at Creek Wood High School and Williams is also a Dickson County first responder.
“Cody’s situation was absolutely horrible,” Williams said. “Their house was situated up on a hill where it had been kind of dug out into the mountain, so when you step out of their back door, it’s straight down into the creek that flooded so heavily, so when it started flooding, it started washing everything away below the house. All it would’ve taken was one more landslide, and they would’ve been down in the creek. We’re very blessed that they made it out.”
According to the Associated Press, receding floodwaters in Swannanoa revealed cars stacked on top of others and trailer homes that had floated away during the storm. Roads were caked with mud and debris and pockmarked by sinkholes.
After seeing the devastation surrounding him, Henson said he feels lucky to be alive.
“There’s no Swannanoa, North Carolina left anymore,” Henson said. “After losing everything besides each other and our dogs and a few possessions we can carry over my homemade bridge, the engineers just told us it’s unstable and we can’t go back into what’s left of our home.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, across six states in the Southeast, the death toll from Helene is now 166 people. At least 57 people were reported dead Tuesday in Buncombe County, which covers places in and around Asheville, including Swannanoa.
Williams said Cody’s neighborhood had no help nearby and was without necessities such as food, water, oxygen tanks and gasoline. Williams took to Facebook asking for donations to purchase and deliver supplies for Henson’s community. In a matter of hours, he received more than $11,000.
“The blessing of this huge story is that so many people have given,” Williams said. “In a time where it might be a little hard to give, they have made sure that the people here are taken care of.
Williams and Scott used all of the money donated to purchase items for the victims. It took them numerous trips back and forth to get everything they needed since the closest grocery store was two and a half hours away.
“When you lose power, that means everything you had in the fridge is gone, everything in the freezer is gone,” Williams said. “There’s just a whole lot of things that go south really quick. What we want to do, Andy and I, is just try to help the little bit that we can until some of the larger organizations can get in and hit it hard.”
Getting the items to Cody’s neighborhood was a whole separate challenge. Luckily, Williams connected with his friend Adam Smith, a former US Green Beret. Smith drove to North Carolina to rescue his stranded family members. He was able to find a helicopter and a pilot to fly him in and successfully get them to safety. After that, Smith continued using the helicopter to save others and also drop off supplies in uncharted territory.
“Dudes came out of a chopper in tactical gear saying ‘we’re here for Cody Henson’… priceless!” Henson said.
Henson said the three men made an immeasurable impact on his little mountain town.
“When hope had truly faded and giving up to wait on the inevitable started to seem like the only option left right at that very moment, I prayed for help and Tennessee showed up strong,” Henson said. “The minute Luke Williams, Andy, and Adam had boots on the ground, the tide began to turn. Y’all not only saved countless lives with the supplies, medicine and food y’all got here but even more importantly, besides material help, an even more precious resource was brought as well. One that can’t be bought, sold or traded … hope.”
Williams told News 2 it’s not about getting credit, it’s about saving lives.
(L to R) Luke Williams, Cody Henson, Andy Scott
Courtesy: Luke Williams
“We do what we do because people need help,” Williams said. “We come from Tennessee, we are the Volunteer State and when somebody, whether it’s our people or our neighbors, needs help, we come running. We’re not looking to be famous, we’re looking to help people.”
Because of Williams, Scott and Smith’s heroic efforts, Henson said he now has a restored faith in humanity.
“Tennessee, I love y’all and that’s why we all have to stick together when it all hits the fan,” Henson said. “I do believe in the good in people still. Today proved that to me and the 75+ people stuck with me here. I couldn’t be prouder than I am today to be a Tennessean and from the most amazing, selfless community there’s ever been – Dickson County! Now, everyone in this town knows about Dickson, TN … and hopes to all visit Dickson someday.”
If you’d like to help Henson and his neighbors in Swannanoa with unexpected expenses, you can donate on their GoFundMe page.