North Carolina couple returns to home washed away by Helene

AVERY COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Heartbreaking stories continue to pour out of western North Carolina.

In Avery County, one couple says they returned from vacation to devastation.

Sunny and Lois Benfield say they’ve lived in Minneapolis, just southwest of Banner Elk since the mid-80s.

They were visiting family when the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped through western Carolina and caused the Toe River to overflow and flood waters to rush into their home.

“We know it was God’s divine intervention that we were in Maine and kept us safe because we’d probably be down the river, and a lot of people lost their lives,” Lois said.

The Benfields say they’re not sure if they’ll rebuild or move out of Minneapolis. They are raising money to replace damaged items.

Wilkes County teacher Hannah Peacock is making a difference in Minneapolis. She and many friends she grew up with are using ATVs to get to hard-to-reach areas. She says while a lot of help is coming to western North Carolina, many people are still stranded with no power.

Her friend group is using ATVs to bring them Generators, food and other necessities.

“We’re going to take supplies up to the homes so these people don’t have to walk down because they lost their vehicles. This is not a sprint. It’s a marathon,” Peacock said.

With many parts of Avery County still without power, a group of chefs in Banner Elk are working together to make sure the surrounding community is fed.

It’s a collaborative effort from several restaurants including Stone Walls and What the Cluck.

The managers say they’ve been feeding the entire town of Banner Elk since the power and running water stopped working last week. They meet in front of Stone Walls at  3 p.m. every day with different meals

Right now, the chefs who are making these meals possible say they’ll continue to do so until the people of Banner Elk and Avery County are back on their feet.

Feeding Avery Families and Build Back Avery are accepting donations.

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