FAMILY & FRIENDS- WE NEED YOUR HELP! Mitchell County, NC

FRIENDS & FAMILY -We need your help.

UPDATES ARE LISTED BELOW- I tried to create this 3 days ago but the service wouldnt work.

WE NEED COLD WEATHER ITEMS. ALL SIZES BLANKETS HEATERS THAT DONT NEED POWER. ETC

We are stuck in the mountains of Mitchell County - Spruce Pine - Bakersville - Green Mountain WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. It was all I could do to get the gas to get service. We had to siphon old gas out of a friends vehicle (that didn’t run) to get here. Anyone that knows me and my family knows that we don’t and have never ever ask for anything… BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

UPDATES ON THE FAMILY:

First off Ryne Jr is safe with his father in Charlotte and my son Caleb is with me. We are safe as of now. Once we get back we will have no service, electricity, and barely any food. My son and I have ran through what we have to help family around us by bringing water, food, and a couple of cans of gas. My father is out of his insulin and trying to hang on. My sister Hannah is trying to get here with gas and a generator from Illinois. I seen my brother Cole yesterday and he helped me and Caleb hike in the dark to find my sister Carey. She is stuck with no bridge to get out and trees all around her property.

I can say I have never been more scared to go through these woods to find my family members dead or alive. I have not spoke with my mother in a week but my brother said she was okay in Bakersville (I think) but stuck. It’s hard to say because there is no power or way to get in touch with anyone. I haven’t seen my step father Keith since the day after the storm hit. I haven’t heard from my family in Burnsville… but there was a search and rescue team up Pensacola and found over 20 bodies sadly deceased in a short period of a time. A friend also said that 10-15 body bags were near the top of Cox’s creek (which is gone). The last I heard the death toll was over 150 and there is still over 9,000 that are still missing (as of yesterday) just in our little mountainous area. (Including Black mtn, Asheville, spruce pine, Newland, etc.)

I CAN’T begin to explain the destruction. They have trucks & trailers but no way to get gas to help. WE NEED FOOD, WATER, GAS, GENERATORS, PROPANE, some way to keep meat cold, medicines (inhalers, oxygen, epipens, insulin.. etc), ANYTHING! PLEASE WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP! Our death toll is rising by the day and what information I have as of now is not updated because I typed this message before I’ve found service. PLEASE SHARE WITH ANYONE YOU CAN. There are so many of us in need. I will keep you updated as much as I can. It could be anywhere from a day to a week before I can get back in touch. I have enough gas to make another trip back today and back out…but I have to go see if my father is still hanging on (it takes nearly 2 hours just to get service or gas). This is really bad…. Any little bit will help.

(If anyone see this and needs help in our area, please let me know and I will do my best to help in anyway I can.)

I don’t know if I’ll have enough service to upload photos and videos yet….but you can Google, TikTok, Facebook anything with Mitchell county, spruce pine, Burnsville, Yancey County to see the damage.

Storms got bad 9/26/24

NO POWER IR RUNNING WATER since 9/27/ 24 @ approximately 2am

The tornados, winds, and flooding that destroyed our small town hit HARD 09/27/24 around 8am.

OCTOBER 5th.

Still no water or power at my house or surrounding neighbors. Phone service is a hit or miss. I tried posting this earlier but couldn’t get enough service to verify my email. I found a spot to get service on the mountain.

This is absolutely horrible. If you are bringing supplies, I know that the highschool is accepting and if you’re air dropping supplies, I need to somehow speak/message with you so we know where to meet you to unload and let you know where to land. [phone redacted] or call Spruce pine Police dept [phone redacted] and ask to get in touch with Officer Mel Tehandon or just ask where to land. There is so much help needed and areas that haven’t even been touched.

We are using our personal tractors, gas, batteries, 4x4s, chain saws, lanterns, firewood, adult and children’s clothes. I’ve gave most of clothes & shoes away to kids around my neighbor hood. We’ve got the hands and the tools to help in areas that haven’t been touched. I AM SO HAPPY & THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING EVERYONE HAS DONE! The military & Cajun army set up a few days ago near the hospital. Words can’t describe how thankful we are. I got my dad insulin- both my kids are safe ❤️ and out of town.

There is so many people that are still missing SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SEND ME YOUR INFO IF YOU ARE MISSING A LOVED ONE- we will do everything we can to find them-

I don’t have a lot of time to message because a lot of people need our help. Our community has been so strong. I’m so thankful. Thank you for your support. ❤️❤️❤️❤️