When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina in 2023, it caught everyone off guard with its ferocity. Record-breaking rainfall and sudden, deadly flooding overwhelmed communities across the region.As I stood on the banks of the Swannanoa River in Biltmore Village, I watched everything I had spent two decades fighting for wash away. Gas pooled in the eddies. Homes and businesses floated past; dreams, memories, and hard work were reduced to debris. I watched the river I had devoted my life to protecting turn brown with ruin.In that moment, I realized how much our preparedness, infrastructure, and collective response shape whether a disaster becomes a tragedy or a turning point.Personal Loss, Community ResponseAs a homeowner, I understood the heartbreak of losing a place that shelters your family and holds your history. As a business owner, I knew the sleepless nights and sweat poured into every small enterprise that washed away. And as a Riverkeeper who’s spent thousands of hours taking water samples, organizing cleanups, and tracking down pollution sources, I was devastated to see all our progress erased overnight.At first, I thought we were unlucky at MountainTrue. Our five Riverkeepers (Broad Riverkeeper, French Broad Riverkeeper, Green Riverkeeper, Upper New Riverkeeper, and Watauga Riverkeeper) all live and work in the watersheds hardest hit by Helene. We were all dealing with own wreckage and it was overwhelming. But, what I first saw as a liability turned out to be our greatest asset. We had people on the ground in every devastated community. People who knew how to test wells, sample water, clean up debris, and connect with families in need.Taking ActionThe first days were chaotic. Everywhere you turned, there was something on fire, literally and figuratively. It felt impossible to know where to start. Then, while unloading a semi-truck of bottled water, I stumbled upon a relief center run not by the city, but by a patchwork of nonprofits, local leaders, and volunteers from across the country. That’s when it hit me: we didn’t need a master plan; we just needed to act.Before we were “ready” and before anyone gave us permission, we started cleaning up. The City of Asheville even told us not to touch the rivers within city limits. We politely told them this was our life’s work, and we’d be out there doing what Waterkeepers do. Our first volunteer cleanup drew an overwhelming turnout. The community was hungry to help. We quickly realized we didn’t have enough staff to meet the demand, so we created a new position just to coordinate volunteers. Then we went to our state legislators and told our story: we were the only group willing and able to do this work, and it mattered. They listened.Recovery and GrowthWe came home with $10 million in state funding for river cleanup. Since then, we’ve hired more than 80 people, created nine teams across Western North Carolina, and hauled out over four million pounds of trash. Every week, we’re removing about 10,000 more.But the numbers only tell part of the story. This work isn’t just about cleaning a river — it’s about restoring dignity, purpose, and hope for people who lost everything. Before the storm, I was a fighter. If someone polluted my river, I came at them with everything I had. Helene changed me. It taught me empathy. Most people aren’t trying to harm the river. They’re just trying to feed their families, rebuild their homes, and survive.Lessons LearnedThis storm broke everyone in my community to some degree, but in many cases, it left something better or stronger behind. It taught me to look past what divides us, focus on what unites us, and take action together. At the recent North America Regional Summit, we shared lessons learned with fellow Waterkeepers, paying forward the hard-earned knowledge and experience to help others protect their communities and waters.Helene taught me how quickly everything can wash away, and how, even in the fiercest storms, we are strongest when we face it together.This guest blog was written by Hartwell Carson, Clean Water Director for MountainTrue and former French Broad Riverkeeper in Asheville, North Carolina. Visit MountTrue’s website to learn more about their work and ongoing recovery efforts. MountainTrue also supports fellow Waterkeepers in Africa by building wells and installing water filters, bringing clean water to communities that need it most. To learn more, visit Clean Water Africa and check out their online auction. 100% of the proceeds go to clean water projects in Uganda and Kenya.All photos used in the blog are courtesy of Hartwell Carson.Read Original Article with photos
