BERLIN CENTER, Ohio (WKBN)- Rescue and recovery efforts are still underway for states heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Local residents have gathered to support those efforts through donations and providing aid in person.
After hearing about the hurricane, Mike Young, of Berlin Center, dropped everything to provide support.
He is volunteering with a Christian organization called Samaritan’s Purse. This isn’t his first time helping during a disaster. Young was in Mayfield, Kentucky, after the tornado hit, supporting those residents and assisting in recovery efforts.
He said these are 10-hour days of intense clean-up efforts in Boone. He was working in teams to remove debris, trees and mud that is stuck in houses. He said going south to provide aid was a calling.
“About a week ago, I woke up at 4 a.m. turned the TV on and I knew this was coming, and I just felt the Lord speak to me that he wanted me to come, so two days later, I was on the road coming down,” Young said.
He says that photos and videos do show a lot of the damage, but it can’t be put into perspective until someone sees it in person. Despite the intense physical and emotional labor, Young says it is always worth it.