It this Off the Cuff we’re joined by Cody, a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, who shares an emotional, firsthand account of surviving a catastrophic storm that devastated his community. Cody, who lives in Fairview with his wife and son, describes how an area known for its refuge from storms became the epicenter of destruction. From mudslides that wiped out homes and cut off roads to the shocking reality of food and water shortages, Cody takes us through the harrowing events of that day.
What began as an ordinary morning quickly turned into a battle for survival. Cody recalls the frantic decision to leave his home as his driveway washed away, only to find both escape routes blocked by landslides. He and his wife helped elderly neighbors reach safety, but the aftermath extended beyond the storm—lootings, supply chain breakdowns, and a glaring lack of government response added to the chaos.
Cody reflects on the overwhelming sense of helplessness that set in as essential supplies dwindled and help remained out of reach. It’s a story of resilience, of neighbors stepping up when systems failed, and the stark realization that even the most prepared communities can be left vulnerable in the face of disaster.
We are all Native Americans now. We are an indigenous population that is being slowly eradicated by a foreign power that has overtaken our elected officials, military and all leadership.
Capital punishment for treason for them all.
I’d stand on the platform, pull the lever, look each of them in the eye and say “For America” as they drop.
This has to be the last moment they live in comfort and security. This has to be it.
This call, and the many other reports, are just heartbreaking. I’m thankful for the local and nearby communities banding together to provide help, and am furious at the reports of delays and blocking of help by officialdom.
I dearly hope the fatalities are in the lower range of estimates and that everyone receives life’s necessities and locate their loved ones. I am reminded of the nightmare that was hurricane Katrina and the situation in and around the superdome. I may have something to upload on that later on, because this is certainly not the first time that government mismanagement of a situation has led to great suffering.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve been watching videos on the internet and it is truly historic and humbling.I’ve seen photos of landslides before but nothing like this. What a beautiful place the Smokies must have been until a week ago. I suspect nature will regenerate long before humans get around to rebuilding the roads.
this is so f’d up Fema is actually sending Elon’s starlinks away…
after Biden took credit for sending them in yesterday “After Trump and Elon already did it”
…
Elon has 200 million followers… that are going to see this… sure they are not all USA but still…
I can’t figure this play out… I get they don’t care about us, but shouldn’t they at least pretend at least with someone as high profile as Elon?
I mean no one is this stupid…
its almost like they are purposely throwing the election?
so they can obviously steal it…
so they can get what kind of reaction?
so the can justify what kind of action?..
And FYI to the FEMA geniuses that did this ? guess who Elon is going to fire day one with no notice or package if Trump actually gets in office and sets Elon up to fix costs?..
There is no reason at least one brigade from Ft. Bragg along with their medical and engineering assets was not on scene after the first day. The 101st Airborne is a helicopter heavy division in Western TN/KY. I know a small amount of their people are in the middle east but what about the rest. I am beyond disgusted. I get that we are our own first response, but please.
I’m in Australia & am so disappointed with the response by your Gov but truthfully, it’s not surprising. Chris, you have said recently that ‘nobody is coming to save you.’ How true in relation to bureaucracy. It’s very heartening to hear that the people affected by the hurricane are doing what community does best & coming together. This demonstrates the goodwill, love and power when people unite.
I am praying for every innocent affected by The (whacked out) Storm that was named Helene. I have lived by the saying “what don’t kill us makes us stronger”. Keep fighting Americans. Help each other best as you can. Keep refusing to comply any way you can.
I listened to Cody’s story. I am familiar with his road, I have been on it several times to patronize an Amish market and a dairy nearby. His road intersects with Chestnut Hill and not far from where it dead ends into Hwy 9 between Bat Cave and Black Mountain, there was an enormous mud slide a few years ago that was so large that dozens of 40-50 foot trees atop the part that slid remained standing once the slide came to a rest.
I cannot imagine the devastation if 2 feet of water was moving on the surface after things were already destabilized from the previous weeks rain.
The amount of loss in Cody’s neighborhood is absolutely tragic, especially with much of those deceased being in one extended family. I hope he and his wife are spared from lasting effects from their experience.
One thing that stood out to me in his story was the speed at which this all took place. I am in the same region and lived the same time table in a much much less traumatic way and it still had not set in how quickly this all happened.
A woman stopped by my house to drop something off on Thursday night. While here the dam alarms sounded. I insisted that she get her important papers and bring the kids to come to my house for the night. She did and left the next morning to do her days of elder care at another location, taking the kids with her. She left at about 830 am. Friday. By friday noon or so the dam was being over run according to the new messages being played out loud and I realized that her place was flooding. Comms were down, and it was too late to double check that she had her papers or to grab more belongings from there. This is just sinking in, it was that quick.
Cody lives on the other side of the Continental divide from me. There is a distinct difference in the weather between us. I get similar weather to Greenville SC and he gets weather like Asheville. I am in an isothermal belt that gives us an attenuated version of most weather systems. I once worked on just the other side of the divide toward Fairview ( in Bear Wallow-Gerton) and I experienced the differences visually, when the road and banks would suddenly have ice, snow and icecycles, where there was non on my side.
Most of Rutherford county is in the foothills. Lake Lure and Chimney rock are mountainous at the west end of count. Henderson and Buncombe counties beyond that are mountainous and with different soils than on our side of the divide. You can see it visually as you cross. ( You can look at this divide where the tectonic plates meet from underneath when visiting Lynnville Caverns).
Despite having seen so many photos and video of the devastation, hearing this kind of interview from someone who lived though it is still… just…
Cataclysm.
I’m so glad he was willing to talk about his experience. People need to hear this.
And it feels weird tagging this in after such a jaw-dropping interview, but I did hear the “getting married Saturday” from you Chris. Blessings and a heart of peace and rest in the midst of the chaos around us. Be well.
Unfortunately it’s not just America that’s doing this to their people. Here in sunny New Zealand, about two years ago, we had Cyclone Gabrielle hit our east coast, and the area around Napier was the worst hit.
Gabrielle was only a fraction of the size of Helene.
The NZ government also deliberately blocked aid and aid workers from getting through, despite a huge public aid response. A former boss of mine ran a police blockade to deliver generators to Napier in his truck and trailer unit.
Our government also lied about how many people died or were missing.
The NZ government couldn’t find any cops or soldiers to help out at Gabrielle, but they could find 600 cops to crush a peaceful protest in Wellington.
I certainly feel for the poor folks affected by Hellene, and my prayers and thoughts go out to them. I can’t do much more for them from over here.
I hope this wakes people up to how governments REALLY feel about us plebes.
At his rally today, Trump should announce that he’ll fire all FEMA leadership and 90% of the rest of them. The remaining, best 10% can run a far smaller operation that does some coordination and moves funds. All future on-the-ground disaster work would be done by the Army and/or Marines, plus National Guard support.
Great video, thanks for sharing. Just to clarify for others, this is a search and rescue expert talking about how FEMA/ government have abandoned the people in NC, this from a man who just rescued an 11 day old baby.
This isn’t a tragedy, it’s an atrocity. Because it is absolutely intentional at this point.
IMO they should be deployed and on the ground in NC helping with medical issues. Honestly I have no idea what they do, it is possible they are there. I never hear about them.
