Neighbors help cleanup Spruce Pine after Helene

SPRUCE PINE, N.C. (WGHP) — The area along the river is lined with local businesses in Spruce Pine. All of the buildings are filled with mud, and all the items inside are destroyed.

“I could not have done this not even with friends,” said Avril Wilson, who owns a business in Spruce Pine. Her business is gone, and she is heartbroken. “ I had an arts and crafts business plus a massage business, and it’s all gone.”

She is not sure she can rebuild.

“I don’t even know if I can. I am 66, so starting again is kind of hard to do,” Wilson said.

The clean-up work is overwhelming.

“All the local people are busy trying to do their own thing, so there is not much help in that,” Wilson said. On Friday, volunteers showed up to help.

“Some of my friends were coming down … I have a heart for these people. It is crazy,” said Melvin Blank, a volunteer. Blank and his friends made the trip from Pennsylvania and immediately got to work. “We go over it with them to see what they want to try to save … Basically, everything has got to go,” Blank said.

While clearing out Wilson’s business, they handed over something special.

“They found my husband’s photograph … He is gone. This is one of my favorite photos,” Wilson said.

It was a moment of peace in the midst of chaos.

The support for Spruce Pine goes beyond the skid steers by the river.

“We appreciate all the people who are coming into the county to help us. The National Guard is here … I’ve seen search and rescue people from all different counties and states. Bless them for coming,” Wilson said.

Neighbors continue to check on neighbors. That generosity is exactly what will keep this small mountain town moving forward.

But they know there are still a lot of struggles ahead. There is a county-wide curfew at 8 p.m. to keep the community safe. Friday marks one week without water, power and a way to communicate.

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