‘To go, or stay?’ Watauga County residents reflect after narrowly escaping mudslides

WATAUGA COUNTY (QUEEN CITY HOMETOWN) — Piles of mud.

Tangled tree limbs.

Pieces of people’s lives are scattered throughout the small mountain towns of Sugar Grove, Cove Creek, and Vilas in Watagua County, North Carolina.

“It was like, either we leave now or we wait it out here,” remembered Melissa Oravits.

The bridge by Melissa’s home is gone now, but when Hurricane Helene hit she had to make a decision — take her family and leave or wait it out.

“I think it’s something that hits you afterward because in the moment you’re just surviving I guess — which is weird to say and think like that,” said Melissa.

“It feels like a whole different world out here,” said Sydney Wilson.

It used to be peaceful living by the creek until that creek came into Sydney’s home off Charlie Thompson Road.

“I was going to stay put and we had some family come and get us and say, no you have to leave,” remembered Sydney.

To go, or stay?

Now, looking at what’s left behind, the answer is clear. But at the time of the hurricane, there was no time to think.

“Mudslides, they’re loud. I didn’t realize,” said Melissa. “I guess, I don’t know if it was the trees or mudslide, but it was loud.”

Melissa and her family went to a friend’s house on higher ground, but then a mudslide hit and they made the choice to run on foot. They ended up running through two different mudslides, before hiding under a rock on a road for three hours.

“This is where we kinda tucked under,” said Melissa. “We just pushed as far in as we could under the rock, because it overhands a bit.”

When Sydney came home, the water had gone down but there was mud everywhere.

“I’m sad that it’s just gone, feels like the memories kind of went with it,” said Sydney.

Complicated emotions are setting in. There’s gratitude because they are alive, but a sense of sadness too. Familiar parts of people’s lives are unrecognizable now.  And, as clean-up clears up what’s left behind, many are wondering… what are they coming home to?

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