by Viviana Gonzalez Chavez

The recent Hurricane Helene destruction affected many places, including a town very close to my heart. 

Chimney Rock, located in Chimney Rock State Park North Carolina, is a small village near the summit of one of many large mountains in the state. It is home to all kinds of wildlife, from King Snakes to Box Turtles; its large establishment has become a home for many animals and takes the necessary precautions to keep them safe.

Chimney Rock actually began with the Morse family, which owned the land the park stands on. After being privately owned for many years, the state of North Carolina decided to buy it from the family to be able to open it up to the public. With its gorgeous views and peaceful trails, its lively town, and welcoming staff, why not share it with other families too, and let them enjoy its wonders?

That is actually what motivated my family and I to visit it for ourselves. My father had actually talked so often about its beauty that we decided that the next time we visited NC, we had to go. And with that, we packed up our bags and hit the road. We had gone with some relatives who lived nearby, and I vividly remember looking outside at the nearby forests, the summer sun peaking through the tree leaves, its warmth on our faces with the sunroof open. 

When first entering Chimney Rock, you get to drive past Lake Lure Beach where kids have fun all summer long, many kinds of different shops and restaurants where you can buy all sorts of souvenirs. You see families all hanging out, having fun, enjoying summer, and oblivious to how little time they have left to spend at such a captivating site. 

Visiting Chimney Rock was the highlight of my 2024 summer break, and for a good reason, it gave us so many great experiences. The fun trails where my cousins and I laughed as we played silly games and talked about our lives. The waterfall where my sister fell and a kind worker cleaned up and aided her scraped knee. Or the cute shops near the beach where we spent our allowances trying to get all the fun souvenirs. And to top it all off, a delicious ice cream from a nearby restaurant after walking for hours exploring the park. 

Everyone in my family had fun, which is why it came as a big surprise when a couple of weeks ago news broke out that the village of Chimney Rock was completely destroyed and gone. 

What was once a lively town is now nothing but sludge, where vast amounts of water completely wiped it out. 

Hurricane Helene was a tropical storm that made its way across the southeast coast of the U.S. and into the Carolina states. According to an online article in the Economist, it was so devastating that in just the city of Asheville, NC, 35 people passed away and at least 600 residents are missing. WBTV stated that an estimated 20 homes were lost in the disaster, as well as 40 businesses. 

Not only did it take the people and their homes, but it also trapped the survivors in its dangerous remains. Chimney Rock’s main roads and river banks were all flooded with debris, blocking any access to or from the outside world. In the same feature on WBTV, Mayor Peter O’Leary spoke of the irreversible damage and its lengthy recovery. 

But this didn’t just happen in Chimney Rock. All around North Carolina towns were devastated by Helene. In a recent report by Axios Charlotte, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper talked about the damage caused during the hurricane’s rampage, with around 30 and a half billion dollars worth of damage from flooding and winds, as well as a total estimated of about $53 billion, the largest monetary cost for a storm in the state’s history. 

Hearing the news, my heart sank knowing that such a large portion of my family lived so nearby. Our home became a mess of phone calls and text messages trying to get through to someone, anyone, to see if they had heard back from my cousins. 

We didn’t get a secure line until three days after the hurricane struck. 

During the past weeks, there has been much commotion about the hurricane and the chaos surrounding many coastal communities. But what about the missing people, the wiped out towns, the lost families and homes of other states like North Carolina?

In early October the NC Department of Public Safety published a column depicting the aid the state has been receiving. It talks about search and rescue efforts that are ongoing in Western North Carolina, alongside coordinated efforts to restore essential infrastructure and deliver urgently needed food, water, and supplies to communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

While these efforts help aid needy communities, there is still so much more that can be done. There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations that you can donate to, not just for NC but to all communities in need of your help. Fannie Mae, World Vision, The Salvation Army, and the Kiplinger Foundation are all excellent examples of involved and effective organizations that specialize in the helping of others. 

It is thanks to the help of the outside world that people like my cousins can stay in contact with us, they can live in a comfortable environment with food and shelter. It is thanks to the help and generosity of others that they can begin to try to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives, going back to the way things were before they were inundated by Hurricane Helene. 

Just a simple act of kindness could help facilitate the lives of those in need.