On the night Helene hit, we slept in the basement. All we heard was the wind and rain. It was so loud. The storm was bigger than we’d expected, and I was scared.
We lost power, cell phone service, and running water. Branches had knocked down power lines. A big tree blocked the road. We didn’t leave our neighborhood for three days.
Downtown, it looked like a bomb had hit. Bridges had caved in. Telephone poles were splintered.
A family friend found an apartment where we could stay. It was in Floyd, Virginia. We went back and forth for about a month. It was stressful. I’m glad to be home for good.