A Year Later: Our Journey of Healing Continues

Kayla Lasure
Sep 25
5 min read

As we approach this weekend and the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, the Hunger and Health Coalition encourages everyone to take care of themselves and each other.

*Photo taken at the Oct. 21, 2024, candlelight vigil for Hurricane Helene.*

Anniversaries of traumatic events can be difficult, and no one should have to go through them alone.

"I think it's important to take time to honor, validate, and process what we went through and to make time and space to grieve it," said Kim Carter, MA, LPA— the Psychologist in the HHC Free Clinic.

Kim's Story

Kim recalls memories of the aftermath of Helene like it was yesterday, even saying she had "chills" remembering what she and many others experienced. She said that many folks were still recovering from the feelings of vulnerability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the thought that something could cause such extreme upheaval so quickly.

"Helene brought up a lot of that pandemic trauma — overnight, unexpected, your whole life has changed," Kim said. "For many of us, everything we counted on was different; our roads, the landscape we see every day, water and electricity, being able to go to work, school, and various appointments, all of that was gone in an instant. Our routines were totally turned upside down."

Directly after the hurricane, Kim was having therapy sessions with folks who were directly affected by significant losses —homes, transportation, water, food, electricity — and the basic feelings of safety and security. Many of us felt vulnerable and shocked by the devastation.

"For the first time, they maybe felt unsafe in Boone. Something that I heard people say over and over again was, 'I never thought something like this could happen here,'" Kim said.

Others were maybe not impacted as much with physical safety, but were emotionally reeling from seeing the surrounding devastation to others and the beautiful place we all call home. A common feeling patients shared was a sense of survivor's guilt.

"A lot of folks would come to my office, and I was maybe the first person that they had talked to," Kim said. "More importantly, it was the first time they had driven somewhere. They would get here, after their first car ride or one of their first car rides, and just be overwhelmed and shocked by the devastation in our area.”

Just the impact of driving past, not just landscapes that had changed and roads that were damaged, but driving past empty spaces where houses once stood, or seeing people's belongings — children's toys, clothes, appliances, and pieces of housing – simply strewn around or in huge piles of rubble and debris. This was really overwhelming for a long time."

Kim was helping others process and cope with the aftermath of Helene, while also dealing with the damage Helene had caused to her home. Patches of her roof had been torn off, they were without water and electricity for almost a month, and then when they were able to have the water back on, their well was overwhelmed and stopped working.

"More than ever, it was just like one human helping another human, and just grieving together," Kim said.

After Helene, it was common that folks were uncertain about accepting help because of the belief that other people needed the assistance more. Kim said she, along with many others, realized the need to accept assistance and support that was out there. This included going to churches to receive a meal, taking up friends' offers of a bedroom to stay, or finding a place to do a load of laundry.

As we in the High Country have heard and experienced time and time again, it was amazing to witness the resiliency and strength of our community.

"Even though there were folks who lost everything, they were still doing whatever they could to help their neighbor," Kim said. "Especially during a time when it felt like our country was so divided. It was beautiful to see that none of that mattered. All of a sudden, we were just neighbors. It didn't matter where you lived or went to church or how you voted. You were simply part of the High Country. You were family, and we were going to take care of you. We were going to take care of each other."

How do we cope?

After a traumatic event, it's not uncommon for one's body to go into survival mode. Kim said after the hurricane, even when folks had enough food and water, our brains were telling us to be in fight or flight. Our community was having difficulty managing its stress.

As we're approaching the one-year anniversary of Sept. 27, Kim said that many of the coping strategies we would normally employ — and what she would encourage today — were significantly challenged by Helene during that period.

It was challenging to tap into our typical self-care routines and strategies. On a basic level, many of us were without drinking water for a period of time or unable to prepare healthy meals. Places people would go to seek stress relief — such as gyms or yoga studios — were closed. Professional supports were harder to access.

"A lot of us live in Boone because we find peace in nature, and that is where we go to recharge. The parkway, many trails, and our rivers were closed or inaccessible at that time. Simultaneously, turning to our favorite spots in nature brought up the loss and grief we were experiencing as we witnessed landscapes forever changed," Kim said.

Kim recommended that as we approach the anniversary, to prioritize self-care by doing the following:

Ensuring that your basic needs are met:
- Getting enough sleep and allowing yourself to rest
- Stay hydrated by drinking water
- Healthy eating
Move your body — take a walk or bike ride, stretch, consider a yoga class
Enjoy time in nature or pursue hobbies that promote relaxation
Find ways to slow down and be present
Focus on gratitude
· Connecting with loved ones in a personal way and limiting time on your phones, the news media and social media
Allow yourself to lean on others for support
Help others and engage with the community. Many people find it helpful to be active through volunteering and advocating for others.