WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A fresh blanket of snow now covers the muddy yards, fallen trees, and lingering wounds from Hurricane Helene in Watauga County.
“It’s hard to say what I miss the most, because we lost so much, if that makes sense to you,” said Steve Combs.
Four months later, the loss is still hard to process for neighbors Steve Combs and Lora Campbell.
“I’m very sentimental,” said Lora. “Losing the majority of that stuff, that was the gut punch.”
“I lost 5,000 baseball cards that were worth money. We lost all our kids’ pictures from the time they were born because they were in totes under our bed,” said Steve.
Lora’s dog boarding business has been boarded up since Helene. She has no source of income as she waits for repairs.
“We’re closed, temporarily, so it’s devastating. I had four feet of water rush through all of the buildings,” said Lora.
Lora just got potable water back but is still waiting on heat.
“It’s cost, easily six figures. From the basement, the infrastructure, heating system,” said Lora.
Steve had to take out a $50,000 dollar unsecured loan so he could fix up his family’s home. He said he had no choice.
“It leaves you in a feeling of, you don’t know what the future holds. It’s an unknown space,” said Steve.
They’ve been sitting in the unknown for some time now.
Just after Helene hit, in early October 2024, Steve’s daughter Victoria spoke with Queen City News and was trying to figure out what just happened.
“It’s rough and I’m sad,” said Victora, at the time. “It’s getting worse as the days go because there’s nothing like home.”
Lora was overwhelmed, confused and sad. She’d just rescued all of the dogs in her boarding business and was in the process of removing feet of mud that had piled up.
“I’m in survival mode,” cried Lora.
Their small neighborhood was cut off when the creek became a river, taking their only way out with it.
“We don’t have a bridge,” said Victoria, at the time.
PREVIOUS | Watauga County community cut off by Helene comes together
Though it’s been months since Helene, there isn’t a huge before and after, except for one thing.
“That whole week was emotional. I cried every single day to be honest with you,” said Steve.
The one-lane bridge was built in about five days, but it’s become something so much more than just a way to get across the creek.
“You’re thinking about the past, you’re thinking about the present, you’re thinking about what’s going to happen a year from now,” said Steve.
“It feels like you (are) connected to the world at large,” said Lora.
Though uncertainty remains, there’s something else stronger.
“We will have to wait for winter to be over so-it’s beautiful! It’s magical,” said Lora, smiling and looking up at the snow that started falling while the sun was shining. “I don’t want to be any place else.”
“You’ve always got hope- when you have nothing else you’ve got hope,” said Steve.
They have hope, and if they need it, a bridge to get them there.
Lora is hoping she will open her business in June, but she isn’t sure. People started a GoFundMe for her to rebuild her business.
Steve is hopeful that through grants, and government help, he can get the loan paid off.
