By Brianna Stephens
Gary lost everything. His home, belongings, and his property were destroyed and buried under thick mud. In the history of Washington County, Tennessee, the river and creeks have never flooded like they did Sept. 27. What happened that day is being called a 5,000-year flood.
“It was so devastating to see communities right down the road that were once there and now they look like a beach,” Gary said. “Whole houses went down the river. That’s what mainly tore all the bridges out here. I don’t know how to explain it. A week ago, it looked like a war zone with helicopters, dogs, and drones flying over.”
Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) employees and volunteers are responding in East Tennessee communities to help provide disaster relief aid to flood survivors after Hurricane Helene’s impact. CAP’s Disaster Relief program is assessing homes, mucking them out, tearing out damaged materials, and treating homes with a mold remediation solution.
The water from the Nolichucky River filled Gary’s basement and rose 5 feet into his living spaces. The force of the water picked up his 40-foot by 70-foot detached garage and wrapped it around the side of his house. He has been told that possibly saved his single-story home from being completely overtaken by water. His neighbor’s home was condemned after the flood water rose to the second floor.
“I was lucky that was not my case,” Gary said. “It would be much easier to build something new here, but I’m not allowed to do it. I have one option. Either make my home livable again, which I’ve lost everything, or walk away and lose my land. I’ve either got to start over with the frame or start my life over again at 67 somewhere else.”
He stripped his home down to the studs, but a foot of water and mud still stood in his basement along with his soiled belongings. CAP employees and volunteers carried out each item, pumped out the remaining water, and cleaned up the mud.
Gary has had his home since 2002. In 2013 it was remodeled and he moved in during 2015. During the pandemic, his brother and his sister-in-law moved in with him. He was living alone at the time and enjoyed having them at his home.
The day of the flood, his brother texted him and said water was coming into the house. He was trying to escape in his Jeep as it was about to float away, but the car battery was dead and his cell phone battery was almost dead. Gary left work to help him but got caught up in the flood waters and was trapped between two creeks for hours before he was rescued. His brother’s Jeep was later found in a field near their home. He is still missing.
When the water started to recede, Gary’s community was like a deserted island. All the roads and bridges crumbled from the power of the flood waters or were blocked by thick mud, debris, and large trees. The community came together with the tools and equipment they had to clear a path through the destruction.
“We started on this end of the road and the county started on the other end to clean the road so people would be able to get in and get out,” Gary said. “That’s how we got the first bridge in Washington County cleared. It took a few hours to reach each other.”
In his community, Gary is used to helping others. One way he does that is by growing a garden and giving away the food to his neighbors. Since the disaster, he is grateful for the help and support he has received from other people.
“It’s hard to explain thank you,” Gary said. “If somebody gives you a bottle of water, you say thank you. But how do you say thank you now. This is beyond that. There should be a different word made up for something like this. God bless you all.”
After the tragedy he has faced and the unknowns that still lie ahead of him, Gary continues to lean into his faith for hope and comfort. “I’ve got the best help you can ask for,” he said. “I got Jesus.”
To support CAP’s disaster relief efforts, visit christianapp.org/respond.
