The voices in the dark

September 27, 2024 was a dark day for those of us in western North Carolina. The remains of Hurricane Helene rushed up the highway from Florida and filled the rivers, already swollen from 30 inches of rain the previous two days. The term “a perfect storm” describes what happened–although from our viewpoint, it was far from perfect.

The depth of living day to day, recovering from no power, no water, no internet, gradually over the weeks that have passed, tend to rob me of the memories of the beginning, the constant sound of the Army helicopters overhead, or the ever-present roar of chainsaws. But a song I heard on the radio today reminded me of one of the most important memories from those days: the radio DJs. iHeart radio in WNC banded together, four stations all broadcasting the same feed, just BEING THERE for the community, all day and all night.

People would call in, looking for other folk or things that were needed– a wheelchair that had been lost, a road blocked by a fallen tree, how to contact FEMA or the county or the state , where to get a hot meal when your kitchen had washed away. Twenty-four hours a day, you could call in and speak with a live, caring person or even drop an email to their dedicated Helene address and get answers for what you needed. I’m not sure if you haven’t been in the situation, if you can understand the poignant joy of knowing someone who understood was there, almost like an angel watching over us. What those radio folk gave this community was a gift we can’t repay.

And so, this song, “ONLY HOPE” by Nick Mac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cJmf8QObKE It brought me to tears, remembering what those people meant to us, allowing us all to share in community. Please listen and thank Nick Mac for the reminder and also those radio DJs who helped save us just as surely as the agencies and heavy equipment folk. THANK YOU.

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Author: Babs Mountjoy