It has been a little over 6 weeks since Hurricane Helene bulldozed through the southeastern United States, leaving a wide path of destruction. Family and friends in Georgia and South Carolina had to deal with trees down on their homes, roads closed, and electricity out for days. The worst hit, though, was in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. There, far from the ocean and miles from where folks naturally expect it, hundreds of homes and businesses, even entire TOWNS, were washed away and lives lost. The recovery there will take months, even years. Despite the incredulity, it has happened before. In fact, there are quite a few similarities between Helene and the Great Flood of 1916. Then, a tropical storm came through the area, saturating the ground, flooding creeks, and raising rivers. Nine days later a second storm dumped another almost 2 feet of water on the mountains! Both the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, still high from the previous rains, flooded quickly, reaching records that held for over 100 years. During heavy rains, the steepness of these beautiful mountains that we love doesn’t help. As storms pass through, clouds are pushed up rapidly, creating faster cooling, and in turn, more precipitation. On September 26, Helene swooped in with unheard-of rainfall. Many areas received almost 3 FEET of water, and the Swannanoa at Biltmore busted the century-old record by over 4′. In the aftermath of that terrible day, more than 230 people have been confirmed dead, with many others still missing. Evidence of the destruction is still everywhere, and the cleanup will take months, possibly years.
Each person lost left a history, a life, and loved ones behind. The Drye kids, Mike, Pat, & Phil, are my Mom’s first cousins, and she has such fond memories from their childhood. (Phil Drye’s was the first diaper my Mom ever changed, and that experience came in handy just 5 short years later when I entered the picture.) I knew them from Mom’s stories, family reunions, a couple of lunch visits with Mike when passing through Asheville, and, of course, funerals…isn’t that so often what brings extended family together?! Mike, his wife Nora, and their 7-year-old grandson Micah, were washed away in the flood waters of the Swannanoa River on September 27. You probably already know their story as it has circled the globe. (If not, click here or Google to find one of hundreds of articles.) As Jessica Drye begged for help in posts showing pics taken from the roof with flood waters rushing past, we all prayed and shared the information. I was safe in Iowa at the time, waiting to hear that they had been picked up. No one anticipated the news that would come. What a horrible situation! How does a husband, father, and grandfather, as protector and family leader, deal with what Mike faced? How does a mother and grandmother keep calm watching the waters rise? How does a young mother comfort her child and make him feel safe in the face of disaster? I cannot even imagine the emotions and pressure, especially in those last moments as the house gave way beneath them. I also cannot fathom what it was like for Megan to be trapped for hours, knowing that her parents and son were lost, and still uncertain of her own fate.
The Bible teaches us that God is always right with us, even in our darkest times, and Megan Drye is a true witness. Her precious son, Micah, was not screaming for his mother or his Noni as he struggled in the raging river. He called out to Jesus to save him, almost as if reaching for His hand. Then, as she was clinging to whatever she could get ahold of in the torrent, Megan heard His voice…LET GO! Doing as she was told took her to a place where she was wedged with her head above water and able to survive for the HOURS it took to be found. Later, through the power of social media and word of mouth, a worker at the hospital where she was taken was able to allow her frantic sisters, Heather and Jessica, to hear Megan’s voice. And if that was not enough, He gave a poem and an image to an artist over 600 miles away, that in turn, assured Megan that her baby boy was, indeed, with Jesus. Wow!!
On Thursday, November 7, MW and I took the long drive over to Asheville, North Carolina, for the memorial service. I was looking forward to seeing distant relatives, sharing memories, and giving Heather, Jessica, and Megan, along with Phil and Pat, a hug from their Harrison side. I expected there to be tears, as well as laughter, and lots of good stories. But what everyone in attendance got was so much more. The unwavering faith of the family, seeing Elizabeth Londen tell the miraculous story of her painting and poem, hearing how hard Mike worked over the years to bring Christian values to the practice of law in Buncombe County, listening as friends shared their warmest memories, and most of all, the physical feeling of God in that room were awe-inspiring. I was reminded of a text conversation with my friend Jovonni just after the flood. She had seen the interview that Megan and Heather did on Fox and said “I am forever moved and changed. My heart hurts but it’s not sadness, it’s rejoicing for Our Lord and Savior because of this testimony.” Lives and hearts were definitely changed at this celebration. The Bible tells us that God is driving the bus and always has a plan. I truly believe that. But as a human and recovering control freak, I sometimes struggle when understanding fails. The example set by my young cousins in the face of tremendous tragedy has strengthened my faith and will stay with me for the rest of my life. I’m not the only one…people from around the world continue to message and post their praises. I’m certain that, if Mike, Nora, and Micah know what’s going on down here, they are bursting with pride..
May you be richly blessed.
Talisa
