BURNSVILLE, N.C. — When Hurricane Helene roared into western North Carolina on September 27, 2024, it left behind scenes of destruction few could imagine. In Burnsville, about 25 miles from Asheville, one mother and daughter endured a night of terror that would change their lives forever.
“I wasn’t really prepared,” said Martha Tomas, who lives along the Cane River with her 12-year-old daughter, Jade. “I didn’t think anything other than we’re going to get some rain—wind, then it’s over.”
But by 6 a.m., floodwaters were rising quickly, already a foot deep in their yard. Tomas decided to evacuate, but her daughter was nearly swept away by the current before she pulled her back. Moments later, the family watched as a neighbor’s trailer shifted off its foundation and his truck floated down the road…