Helene
Hurricane Helene left a trail of devastation in her wake.
I wanted to document (some of) what it was like being impacted by this powerful storm while it’s fresh in my mind.
I’m no stranger to hurricanes.
I was 8 years old and living in South Carolina when Hurricane Hugo blew through, and I lived on the coast of South Carolina for nearly a decade as an adult.
I have watched as Category 3 storms made landfall, and have waded through the waist-deep waters Hurricane Matthew left behind in my (then) neighborhood.
The coast is built for these kinds of storms.
The hills and mountains are not.
The set-up: In the days leading up to the storm, our area endured a microburst and quite a bit of rain. The ground was saturated, leaving trees and power lines vulnerable.
Weather reports began to sound ominous.
I had a strong feeling we would lose power as we watched the storm forecasts. I prepared in the obvious ways (flashlights, back-up chargers, and a few non-perishable foods), and waited for the storm to roll in.
Day 1: Friday, September 27, 2024
Initially I was concerned that Helene would make an arrival during sleeping hours.
Middle-of-the-night storms make me nervous, but she held back.
The rain and winds became heavy, and by 6:50 am, limbs were falling.
By 7:07 am, I could hear whole trees coming down, and the power went out.
Greenville, SC is known for our gorgeous trees, some towering more than 50 feet with massive spreads. When these trees fall, YOU CAN HEAR THEM!
Over the next couple of hours, torrential rains fell and winds up to 60 mph helped to take down countless trees and power poles.
On the ridge by my home, I could hear oaks snapping and the constant sound of root systems being ripped from the earth.
The trees simply could not hold and they fell, one by one, in defeat - some on neighboring homes.
I held my breath, as it was still dark, and prayed that the “wooden giants” that towered over my home would anchor-down and stay in place.
They did.
Massive oaks, sweet gums, and poplar trees danced wildly, and with sudden gusts, were snatched in unfamiliar directions by the wind.
The storm moved through quickly.
By lunchtime, the sun was out, clean-up had already begun, and we ventured out to assess the damage.
It looked wild!
Everything was a mess - like a hurricane had just blown through.
Some neighbors lost their homes, some partially, others entirely, while some homes seemed untouched.
We were blessed to have no major damage to our home.
Neighbors hugged, and cried, and exchanged accounts. We were grateful for the connection.
It takes a lot to come down off of a storm like that. Adrenaline and breath-holding can get people through a lot.
For the remainder of the day, we cleaned debris, and roads, and homes. We checked on friends and family, and prepared for a night ahead with no electricity.
It was clear to me at this point, we would be without power for several days due to the extent of the damage.
We were hearing reports of gas stations being closed, or open, but only for rationing water and ice.
With two teen boys, food quickly became the priority.
We started the gas generator to keep the fridge running and I prepared a dinner on the fire pit for my family and some sweet neighbors.
Dinner was a simple but filling dish - chicken and rice. I was so grateful for a hot meal, and it felt really good to share food after a long day.
Daylight fades fast under these trees.
I used a solar lantern to light my way through the house as I took a warm shower - happy there was still hot water in the tank.
Blessed to have a screened porch, we opted for sleeping outdoors.
I used back-up chargers to charge the phones overnight, while Tiki torches lit my space and kept bugs at bay.
The air was cooler outside than indoors.
Most of the city was without power, and the sky was a brand-new kind of dark.
The eerie sounds of sirens and chainsaws filled the air.
By this time, we were starting to hear about damage from the storm in nearby areas like Asheville and western North Carolina.
It was devastating.
Simply heartbreaking.
The one thought I couldn’t shake all night was:
We are all one disaster away from living entirely different lives.
In a blink, everything can change, and we are, at times, quite vulnerable and helpless.
I wrote, before falling asleep:
I fell asleep in prayer.
Day 2: Saturday, September 28:
I woke early to take a cold shower - and to build a fire to boil water for coffee.
I realized quickly that this would be much easier with a camping stove or catering burners to boil water.
It was warm and humid already, but I was craving coffee, and it was worth suffering the heat of a fire.
Using a coffee press, I enjoyed two perfect cups.
My 13 year old son enjoys cooking and he made a quick breakfast of sausage and eggs in the cast iron skillet while I hard boiled the remainder of the eggs we had on hand. They make a quick high-protein snack and the boys like them with a sprinkle of salt.
We were hearing it would be several days before power would be restored, so we took inventory of how much gas we had on hand and how much the generator was using. This was the first time we have used a generator, so we were learning in action! There is no better teacher than experience.
It feels like time passes differently when the power is out, and by mid-afternoon, I found myself prepping for dinner.
I had planned to make chili ahead of the storm so I had all the necessary ingredients. I made a pot large enough to share, and worked to get everyone fed and things clean by dark.
Before bed, I sent messages and emails to friends in NC wishing them well and hoping for their safety.
I watched online as people retold stories of the prior day. Many people were lost, missing, or worse.
Stories of heroism, bravery, and resilience began to emerge, and I listened intently as people shared their experiences.
A particular couple stood out to me as they shared a harrowing account of landslides, rescues, and reunion.
They reminded me that LOVE is also a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Day 3: Sunday, September 29
We got a bit of unneeded rain overnight.
The air felt muggy and sticky, which reminded me to be grateful it’s no longer summer.
People were beginning to feel irritable, but there were networks forming and people helping people.
Those with generators were storing insulin, breastmilk, medication, and more for their neighbors.
Gas was difficult to find.
I had another day’s worth of fuel on hand, but there was no way to know which stations were open and serving. Some gas stations had mile-long wait lines.
Thanks to apps like Facebook and Nextdoor, people were sharing information within the immediate community about how to find resources and supplies.
Every day has a bright spot, and mine was this evening.
I ate like a queen tonight!
Our generous friends shared a delicious pasta dish finished with an apple tart for dessert!
It was heavenly, and gave us a much needed break from home.
In the late evening, after everything quieted down, I couldn’t stop thinking about people who were lost, trapped, and missing in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
It was dark here.
I couldn’t image trying to navigate dark mountain forests after apocalyptic flooding.
God bless those in the dark.
Day 4: Monday, September 30
I found gas!
I pulled right up, no wait, and filled my tank. Thank you, Exxon!
Veggies and grilled sandwiches were a hit for dinner.
It was too hot for a heavy meal, and I realized again how different things would be if this happened in July or August.
The heat would add an intense level of discomfort.
Then again, so would the cold.
This was the first night I didn’t hear chainsaws and sirens into the late hours.
It was dark and quiet… finally.
Day 5: Tuesday, October 1
I was finding a rhythm.
On the positive, I noticed via my Fit Bit that I was clocking more movement and better sleep than normal. Not more sleep, but deeper sleep than usual.
On the downside, laundry was really piling up, and I wondered how long it might be before I get to wash my… everything! Anything!
We enjoyed spaghetti for dinner, one of the boys’ favorites.
Day 6: Wednesday, October 2
We are getting used to cold showers - but I took a hot one today!
Some people had hot water from their gas line even though they had no electricity.
A lot of people realized this one week into being without power!
Please know that if you have a gas line to your hot water heater, you can still access hot water if your power goes out.
I don’t have that option, but I was elated to be a guest and wash my hair!
I felt brand new!
Today, we had to make decisions about how to prioritize the remaining food and make the most of what we had on hand.
Sadly, perishables were perishing, and it was time to clean out. My deli drawer hasn’t been this clean since I bought the fridge!
We were still enjoying one solid meal each day. Tonight’s dinner was ground chicken and veggie soft tacos.
Day 7: THURSDAY, October 3
One thing no one warned me about was the enormous spiders.
These post-storm arachnids were beefy and out for the hunt.
I kept walking into spider webs in the dark, and no Gwen Stefani song could take the ick off of that!
I also noticed a lot of leaves in this condition, and took it as a sign that some things were now a shell of what they once were.
Some homes.
Some towns.
Some people.
Now only echos of what used to be.
Many will need support for a long time to come.
Some of the stories were overwhelming.
By Thursday evening, the sounds of the storm clean-up were getting to me.
I reminded myself that these are the sounds of helpers! I was trying hard not to be cranky, but I was craving quiet, my normal schedule, and a warm meal.
Luckily, dinner came with a pretty sunset as we kept things simple with ground beef, potatoes, and onions.
Honestly, potatoes made everything better.
Day 8: FRIDAY, October 4
Friday morning I was tired of building fires for coffee.
I tried something I saw online - boiling water using a muffin pan and three tea light candles.
It worked, but it charred the bottom of my pot in three distinct places.
I still enjoyed coffee, though!
By Friday, I was feeling like a regular pioneer woman, except when I dropped a few loads of laundry with a friend who had power.
She was so good to me!
I realized too late that I could have hooked the washer up to the generator, but that was probably beyond my pay grade at the time.
By nightfall, I was feeling especially grateful for the check-in’s from friends and family, and of course, I loved when the sky showed off her pretty hues.
Day 9: Saturday, October 5
I was beginning to feel tired, but I had not let myself complain… yet.
I was still craving hot showers and a cool room to sleep in, but comparatively speaking, I was doing really well!
I was mildly inconvenienced, not displaced, and that kept me in a place of gratitude.
Imagine my hope when, on Saturday afternoon, I ran into a lineman who promised he would have power back on by the end of the day!
God bless the linemen - most of them from out of state - who are working tirelessly to help.
Well, he didn’t disappoint!
Power was back on around 8 pm!
In an instant, I was back to laundry, cleaning floors, cooking on the stove, and sleeping indoors.
My week-and-a-half without power was “normal” just a couple of generations ago, and I just realized how quickly we can find ourselves back in that state.
I can’t quite tell if we have become spoiled or ignorant because of our modern conveniences.
Maybe a little of both.
Over 9 full days, we were without electricity.
Part of what made the aftermath more bearable for me was having clean water and good weather.
The temperatures have been generally comfortable.
However, if this had been July, August, January, or February, it would have been an entirely different experience.
While we struggled at times to get gas for the car or generator, things slowly began to open and resources found their way to us.
We can only partially prepare for these types of events, as we are always truly at the mercy of God.
The folks in the mountains who were hit brutally hard by the storm are used to harsh conditions.
No matter how prepared they were, they were no match for moving land and rushing water.
I imagine that the coming colder temperatures will offer another round of challenges to the mountainous regions, so please keep them in your prayers.
I’m considering all of these things as I prepare for any future outages, and I hope this has inspired you to consider your own preparations for challenging conditions.
As always, take good care.
