Though they were seven hours away, their suffering felt like his own. He couldn’t bear the thought of watching his home swallowed by floodwaters, losing friends and family to a sudden disaster, or spending Thanksgiving alone,

Some communities more socially vulnerable to disasters According to an October report from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than half a million North Carolinians living under disaster declarations during Hurricane Helene were already highly vulnerable to disasters.

The flooding that devastated western North Carolina knocked out water systems, and some small towns still don't have water.

With Thanksgiving approaching, the leaders of North Carolina Hearts with Hands Disaster Relief find themselves grateful to be able to serve their own community after Helene's deadly flooding.

Snow fell late last week in Buncombe County – home to 43 of the 103 North Carolinian killed by remnants of the storm.