This is the time of year here in the Appalachians in western North Carolina when mountain trees are ablaze with autumn’s colors — warm, striking hues of yellow, orange, crimson, and brown — before shedding their leaves. The roads are packed with leaf peepers who join the locals in admiring Mother Nature’s annual pallet of color.

Not so much this year.

Emergency response was hampered by hundreds of decimated roads and downed bridges, and complicated by lingering power and communication outages.

It was a double-whammy. Just before Helene hit, storms drenched western North Carolina. And then Helene pounded us, inundating parts of southern Appalachia with more than two feet of rain. On top of all that, Helene spawned eight tornadoes in the state.

The plight of small rural towns (e.g., Montreat, Swannanoa, Spruce Pine, Old Fort, Banner Elk) and larger cities (e.g., Asheville, Chimney Rock/Lake Lure, Boone) primarily made the news. Indeed, are still making the news. As is always the case, devastating destruction is a media calling card.

But we’re also a resilient bunch. Without hesitation, I evoke the age-old description “Mountain Strong.”

There are all sorts of angels here.

Residents of the devastated Appalachian region were joined by hundreds of first responders and volunteers from across North Carolina and throughout the entire country. As soon as the storm passed, neighbors, residents from other counties, and folks who journeyed from out of state began showing up.

Shelters opened up in logical and illogical places to help the thousands who lost power, homes and loved ones to Helene. Before businesses could even return to operating, they were dolling out supplies, water and free meals in their parking lots.

There were countless (and sometimes terrifying) tales of rescues and hazardous treks to locate the numerous missing. Dozens of organizations and hundreds of volunteers stepped up to help clear trees obstructing roads, put in culverts, and clean up communities, rivers and other areas affected by the storm. Food, water, supplies, and other resources poured into the area from around the country, and distribution centers were quickly established.

Rebuilding, of course, continues. And it will for years. Roads and bridges are slowly being reconstructed to passable. Power and water services are still being restored in many areas.

I’m so proud of my home. And of the countless hometown and out-of-town heroes who stepped up.

There is no leaf viewing this year. But if you get up here and look around anytime soon, you can see angels and warriors amongst us.

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Addendum from LSomerbyCooke …

• American Red Cross — Provided shelter, meals, and relief supplies. You can donate to the Red Cross, give blood or platelets, or volunteer.  Visit here.
• Salvation Army of Western North Carolina — Provided emergency aid, food, drinks, emotional and spiritual care, and long-term recovery services to survivors and rescue workers in western North Carolina.  Visit here.
• Baptists on Mission — Set up large feeding and recovery (mud out, tear out, chainsaw, etc.) operations in 14 locations in western North Carolina. Visit here.
• The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina — Activated its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund to accept and disburse funds supporting regional response and relief efforts in 18 counties of western North Carolina. Funds ensured that frontline nonprofits had the resources they needed for critical early response and continuing recovery. Visit here.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency — Deployed more than 1,200 personnel in North Carolina to assist with recovery and relief efforts. Email the FEMA Donations Unit for answers to your specific questions or to make an in-kind donation. Email donations@fema.dhs.gov.