One of the most heartbreaking tragedies from Hurricane Helene was in Fairview, a community southeast of Asheville known as Craigtown. When the storm struck, it claimed the lives of 11 members of the Craig family-wiping out generations who had called that land home for more than a century.
“It’s every night. I relive it every day,” said Jesse Craig. “There’s not a night that I don’t lay my head down and relive it. That’s been tough.”
For Jesse and his wife, MeKenzie , the past year has felt unreal. “I know it’s been a year, but it doesn’t feel like it’s been a year,” McKenzie said. Jesse added, “It seems like I’m standing here on September 27, 2024. I cannot grasp that it’s already been a year.”
A community swept away
When Helene hit, mudslides tore through Craigtown, destroying homes and taking with them Jesse’s parents and nine other relatives. Piles of rubble replaced what had been a proud family homestead purchased by Jesse’s grandfather more than 80 years ago. In the days after the storm, Jesse walked ABC11’s Diane Wilson across the land, still in shock but determined to share his family’s story…