‘Good Hearts’: Watauga County community cut off by Helene comes together

WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY HOMETOWN ) — Generations have sat on this front porch.

“Probably close to 100 years,” said Victoria Combs.

For the most part, Victoria’s family home off of Isaacs Branch Road in Cove Creek, North Carolina has remained the same all these years.

Until now.

“It’s rough and I’m sad, and it’s getting worse as the days go on because there’s nothing like home. And I hate to leave my dogs behind because I’ve never been without them,” said Victoria.

Next door, Lora Campbell is trying to figure out if she’ll have a home to return to.

“There’s nothing left. I’m just trying to save the upper two levels from mold and moisture,” said Lora.

Mud is everywhere. Hurricane Helene destroyed not only her home but also her livelihood—her dogboarding business.

“I’m in survival mode,” cried Lora. “I’m tough, I’m 7th generation Watauga County, so we’re tough.”

Their little mountain community has always been remote, but they’ve never been quite so cut off before.

“I’ve never lived anywhere else at all, we’re just ready to come back home,” said Victoria. “We don’t have a bridge. One of my dad’s willow trees across the creek, in the garden, got stuck on it. The next-door neighbor’s Winnebago came down and broke apart on it. Then, somebody’s car came and took it out towards the end.”

“Everybody’s that’s been working is worn out,” said Angie Rominger.

This is the first time Angie has been back since she was pulled across the creek from the water rescue team.

“The whole Western side, the whole mountain region are strong people, it’s life, it’s hard,” said Angie.

Life is hard, but that mountain spirit is tougher.

“People have good hearts and are willing to help,” said Angie.

Good hearts—and a little something else.

“One of my neighbors, Scott Clark, said if we only had a boat.  I said, I’ve got one! And low and behold, there it is! I know it doesn’t leak because I just walked up there and it was full of water,” said Rita Storie.

Rita got her boat… And Lora rescued 15 dogs that were in her barn when the flood waters started to come in. Once she got them to safety, she then ferried them across the creek to their owners.

“I just did it, the memories are fuzzy,” said Lora.

It’s not okay- and it will be a while before things are. But, volunteers are helping. Whatever anyone needs is hand-delivered across their makeshift footbridge.

“We get so inundated with stuff we think nobody cares anymore, but that’s not the truth. People care,” said Angie.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.