“Biltmore Park had property damage, but surrounding areas suffered fatalities and injuries. People lost their homes, vehicles, businesses and incomes. Others lost roads that access their communities. Biltmore Park neighbors are going out daily to help others in need. This is a long-term recovery effort and I know that our neighborhood will be out there helping where we can for the duration. It’s who we are.” —Association President, Cathy McCartan, Heathbrook Circle

“When Hurricane Helene hit our area, we had a very large tree in front of our yard fall into the street, completely blocking street access. The branch and leaf extension of this fall was massive. The tree fell across the road and into the front yard of the neighbor across the street. Our street is an access road to Biltmore Park, and this situation hindered emergency vehicles and the general public from passing. While trying to get some help from city and county services, our neighbor, and everyone’s friend, Troy Phillips, came to the rescue. He arrived and just got to work cutting the branches and clearing the leafy mess. He even brought his son, Evan! There were a few other preteens assisting with cleanup and then neighbors came out of their homes to help us! Access was restored to the street for cars and trucks to go by. Without Troy’s instinctive sense to help — as he is always known to do — no one knows how long that street would have been closed off. So many streets were in the same situation. We are forever grateful to Troy, his son and everyone who helped us without hesitation. It certainly does take a village, and we are blessed to live in the Biltmore Park community.” —Michele Onofrey, Dearborn Street

“I have MS and live alone. I use oxygen, and many people from the neighborhood came to check on me, which was humbling. I didn’t hear them knocking at the front door, so they knocked on my bedroom window. And they considered breaking a window to get into my house if I didn’t answer. I didn’t know anyone when I moved to Asheville, and I am blessed to live in a wonderful community of caring people. I’m physically unable to provide much help, but I worked with the Biltmore Park management company FirstResidential to keep the neighborhood informed. I had people who didn’t have water use my place to shower, and I did some laundry to help first responders and volunteers. Since volunteers will be in WNC for a long time, if someone can drop off more laundry, I’m happy to do it. It will help others and allow me to feel more useful.” —Cathy McCartan, Heathbrook Circle

“On the first days of the storm, walking around the neighborhood was the way we were able to connect with our neighbors and reality. With no cell service, internet or electricity, neighbors came outside to communicate with one another. Before living on Ellicott Lane, we lived on White Ash Drive. We met up with a former White Ash neighbor who reassured us that our beautiful former house was unscathed.

After finding out through some of our co-workers about the firsthand devastation they experienced in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas, we were able to take a few carloads of clothes, blankets, toys and baby supplies to those in the area. Hearing about some of the less fortunate communities beyond our immediate area was heartbreaking, and while our contributions were so small comparatively, it allowed us to engage our kids in meaningful work while sparking emotional and important conversations about the effects of this unprecedented natural disaster.

A word that has helped me specifically navigate these last few weeks is 'guiltitude.' It specifically means having immense gratitude for the traumas we haven’t had to overcome, while walking the fine line between empathy and guilt for those who haven’t been as lucky. We have all suffered some version of trauma, and we are allowed to feel and express that. You will find those who have lost more and less than you, but that does not detract from your experience. The beauty of the human spirit is that it will prevail and is strong enough to help others’ spirits prevail as well.” —Pooja Patel, Ellicott Lane

“We were out of the country. Our neighbors Dwayne and Leigh Leik were so kind and kept a keen eye on our home. After the power failure, Leigh and her daughter emptied and cleaned both our refrigerators. Dwayne cut down the broken trees and took them to the curb. We are forever obliged to them.” —Manoj Kumar, West Olmsted Circle

“One memory I will carry with me after the devastation of Hurricane Helene will not be that a tree fell through our home, but the pillar of a community we live in. The nights that followed were filled with love, laughter and compassion. We made the most of a horrific situation by enjoying cookouts, bonfires and the simple pleasures of each other’s company. There is much to be grateful for.

“Friend and neighbor Ryan Kohout would go out every day, strap on his chainsaw gear and a smile, ready to help anyone he could. He was a logger all the way and played the part to perfection. His dedication and eagerness to hit the trails and streets of Biltmore Park was not only inspiring but a true testament to the kind of person he is.” —Aisha Erber, Woodvine Road

“I was traveling home from Korea after the storm. All flights to Asheville were canceled and we were stuck in Atlanta. Like many, I was unable to contact my family or friends without cell service. I was very worried about my husband and my dog. I was sitting with others in the same situation and someone suggested that I use Nextdoor to ask for information. Someone I never met before responded with news about the neighborhood. She offered to go to my house and check on my husband and dog. I appreciate Candy Martin so much! Without knowing me and without hesitation, she gave me peace when I did not have peace. Thank you, Candy! 

“Many with chainsaws came together to cut out the blocked streets. We helped with Go Fund Me fundraisers for individuals and farmers. We made donations to Manna Food Bank and gave rides to some folks from the airport, where they were stranded.” —Choy Gillette, Dearborn Street

“I spent the weekend of the hurricane in Chicago for a poorly timed girls trip. Seeing everything unfold on the news and social media while not being able to get in touch with my husband, kids and parents was excruciating. I was dying to get to my family, and felt the deepest relief of my life when they were able to evacuate Sunday and meet me at a relative’s house in Knoxville, where my flight had been diverted. Our four days there were bizarre. I was clinging to my family, devastated over what was happening in our beloved town and confused by how normal everything felt in Knoxville. I thought coming home would be hard, seeing the destruction for the first time, carrying the weight of that pain firsthand, but coming home was exactly what I needed. I didn’t realize how much tension I’d still been carrying until I released it the moment my boots hit the ground. I’ve never loved WNC more, never been prouder to say I am from here and never appreciated our incredible neighborhood more than I do right now.

“When our friend [and Biltmore Park neighbor] Ben Davis hadn’t heard back from my husband, Andy, to see if he was OK, he drove up Braeside and started chainsawing the massive trees blocking the way. We didn’t own a chainsaw and it just felt like someone was coming to rescue my family. Our street lost water longer than most, but we were lucky enough to have a well. We actually grew much closer to several neighbors through offering showers, even meeting some we hadn’t managed to meet in our almost five years at this house. I know these relationships will carry on long after Hurricane Helene.

“My family and I spent a lot of time volunteering at Biltmore Church, helping distribute supplies to the hard-hit folks of the community. We helped provide free meals at Tupelo Honey (they fed 13,500 people), helped organize donated clothing through the Estes Family Resource Center and drove supplies into mobile home communities. It was good for all of us to feel like we were doing something to help. Biltmore Church likes to say they equip an army, not an audience, and, boy, have they shown it. Our three kids helped sort clothing for Estes Resource Center and worked long shifts distributing supplies at Biltmore Church.

“The people of WNC have grit. Everyone stepped up to help in their own unique ways. I’ve been so impressed by our brave first responders, our business owners and our families. I’ve never been prouder to call Asheville home.” —Casey Kersten, South Braeside Court

“Luckily, we are all OK and living in our house despite all 24 trees that fell into our backyard, with two hitting our back porch. We also had a flooded basement. During and after the storm, I assisted my neighbors’ parents by sharing food and water and charging their electronic devices. The three grandparents were caring for their four grandchildren, the youngest 2 and 4 years old, while the parents were overseas celebrating their wedding anniversary. We took turns babysitting the kids. I felt bad for them.

After the storm, we became concerned about the idea of running out of drinkable water. We made the hard decision for me to fly solo with the kids to Nashville, leaving my husband behind since he had to work nights at Mission Hospital’s ICU.

We made some monetary and clothing donations, but once I returned to Asheville, I took on the role of Spanish teacher! I started my own Spanish-teaching pod with 10 students, ages 5–7. I wanted to bring children together and provide some normalcy for them. One student was from Estes Elementary, a few from Avery’s Creek Elementary and the rest from Glen Arden Elementary’s Dual Language Program. I really enjoyed teaching these kids; what a rewarding and wonderful experience!” —Wilmarie Strock, Pinchot Drive

 

“I’ve been living on the corner of Chicory and Columbine for nearly two and a half years with my husband, Loic, and our 13-year-old son, Julien. Even though the three of us are introverts, we know our neighbors near us. I am the least introverted and my husband is definitely the most, but when the hurricane hit, I holed up in my bed because the electricity outage meant I couldn’t use my CPAP machine and I wasn’t getting the most restful sleep. My husband went out and talked to neighbors and learned that they knew a guy who might be able to remove the three trees that fell on our roof. I read a post in the Park Life Neighbors Facebook group that a neighbor was offering up his chainsaw to anyone who needed it. He showed up with his chainsaw in our backyard within minutes after I texted. Friends also showed up and, along with my husband, there was a lot of camaraderie.

Another neighbor told him we could get cell service on the top deck of the Biltmore Park Hilton parking garage. We headed there the evening after the hurricane to let our respective brothers know we were safe.

One time, Loic came back home with two large containers and two jugs of water from neighbors who were headed out of town. Another neighbor let us borrow their extension cord to power my CPAP machine with the electricity from downstairs. We could not turn on the breaker upstairs because of the water that entered the house from the holes in the roof made by the trees.

I will forever remember Hurricane Helene as the time my very introverted husband turned into an extrovert and many neighbors came together. Loic has now taken to obtaining equipment in case another disaster befalls us.” — Abby Holmes, Chicory Lane

“On Wednesday, October 16, I organized a free-with-donation yoga class led by Laura Juarez at the Biltmore Park Clubhouse called “Breathe and Flow for Helene Recovery.” Nine neighbors (including me) showed up, and we generously received $440 in donations. Heather Gordon, one of the attendees, was able to run the donation through her employer for matching funds. In total, we donated $880 to MANNA FoodBank.” — Dale Coates, Columbine Road

“We park our cars in our garage, but after the storm we could not open the garage door from within. This made me feel isolated. I struck up a conversation with a neighbor I hadn’t met before and with her friend who was visiting; they came over and together got our garage door open. What freedom I felt! My husband, Tony, and this friend’s husband found out they were both in the Air Force and, at one time, both worked in Air Force intelligence. This much-needed communication lifted our spirits.

After the storm, I cleaned up outside the best I could, but there were still so many leaves that needed to be picked up. I decided to do this the next day, but when I looked outside, I saw multiple neighbor women (both young and mature) raking, stuffing and piling debris. My heart just felt such gratitude. Neighbors on Red Fox Circle invited us to come by and get water anytime.

I donated shoes and clothes at Talloni’s, who collected them for the women’s shelter. We also are Buncombe County Guardians ad Litem and we connected with the foster and kinship families to make sure they were OK. Thankfully, they were. We live in a special place with great people.” — Diane Cast, Heathbrook Circle

“Like many in the neighborhood, we had a tree fall across our driveway, which blocked us in our house. We have a chainsaw, but it wasn’t strong enough to get through the large tree trunk. I heard some chainsaw activitiy around the corner and walked over to see if they could help us. Seven of our kind neighbors, whom we had never met, came over to our house and helped us cut through the trunk and move all of it off our driveway. We later walked through the neighborhood and saw the same thing over and over: neighbors working together to move what needed to be moved.

We are so grateful for the community spirit of our neighborhood during the storm. We had cookouts with all of our food that was thawing or getting warm. Our neighbor with a generator had all the kids over for popcorn and a movie one afternoon. It was such a sweet and fun break for the kids.” — Sara Lappe, Ellicott Lane

“My husband, Gerhard, works for Wicked Weed Brewing in facilities management. All restaurants were shut down after the hurricane, and World Central Kitchen began operations at Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, a few buildings from the Funkatorium (also owned by Wicked Weed). World Central Kitchen asked to use the Funkatorium event space as a warehouse for operations. Gerhard was helping in this management and using the forklift for supplies and coordinating the efforts within the space. He discovered that World Central Kitchen volunteers did not have the ability to launder their clothes, so he decided to engage the Biltmore Park community to help these workers out.

From a simple post on the Park Life Neighbors private Facebook group, bunches of Biltmore Park neighbors stepped up to help. I helped coordinate the volunteer efforts here in Biltmore Park, but Gerhard has been the driving force in helping World Central Kitchen volunteers.”

 — Lisa Hillmann, Yellowood Lane

“Neighbors helping neighbors and building an even stronger community is what we experienced after Helene. The experience that touched my heart the most was the opportunity to assist one of our son’s friends who lost everything in Swannanoa. Our son brought him to our house to shower and we found clothes, supplies and food for him. He told the harrowing story of the water rising through the floorboards and swimming out a window to climb out onto the roof. As he looked up his street, he could see all his neighbors sitting on rooftops waiting to be rescued. Other neighbors who lived farther up the hill came with kayaks to rescue him and his neighbors. All he had was the muddy clothes on his back. His trauma was so evident in his eyes.

We helped each other by checking on the safety of our neighbors. With trees down and blocking access, there was much to do. My husband, Andrew, quickly facilitated tree removal through his friendship with fellow Rotarian Craig Fender (of Asheville Landscaping). Craig is an arborist who removed trees off their houses and driveways. Our mini poodle, Jackson, helped as a comfort dog for those waiting in line for showers at the Reuter YMCA. We are fortunate to have a gas range, so we invited neighbors over for morning coffee. Several of our neighbors allowed us to connect to their rigged-up Internet. Another neighbor allowed us to put our frozen food in their freezer because they had a generator. One neighbor ventured out of town to bring us back water. Through it all, we are fortunate to live in a place that really is community.” — Maureen Grasso, Chicory Lane

“I grew up in Biltmore Park at my mom’s [Beth Rand] on White Ash Drive and my dad’s on Rosebay Lane. After Helene, my family stayed with my mom as we awaited power and water in our neighborhood of Royal Pines. I teach sixth-grade ELA at Koontz Intermediate. I knew that a few of my students live in Biltmore Park, so I decided to contact one of the parents to see if they’d be interested in participating in a book club. When I heard a positive response, I went to the school, grabbed a few notebooks and pens and a crate full of the book The Giver by Lois Lowry. The first session had just three students and we met at the picnic tables by the pool. Word of mouth spread and by the second session we had seven members. The club met twice a week for several weeks.

Special thanks to Dara DeLeon and Annie Wedman for hosting at their homes. It was an experience that resurrected my sanity and restored a sense of normalcy during a difficult time. I am so grateful to the students and families for giving me the opportunity to use my skill set to help the community. As I mentioned to some of my colleagues, I am not great with a chainsaw, but I do know how to run a book club. I hope I gave the students who were able to participate something that reminded them of life before Helene and something they could look forward to during the dark days of its aftermath.” — Sawyer Johnston, White Ash Drive

“I have to brag on my husband, Paul. Once he realized trees were going down, he started running down the street knocking on doors and checking on all of our neighbors, helping them seal up their homes while the storm was still raging. Once the winds died down, Paul went to work with multiple other neighborhood fathers, including Ryan Kohout, Doug Erber, Mike Manogue, Justin Briggs, Brad Trometer and Kent Raymond, to name a few. They started clearing trees for emergency vehicles to pass.

The moms all took turns hosting families and kids at their homes. Anna Briggs hosted pumpkin painting for the kids, the Blackmans had a campfire with shadow-puppet stories and the Kohouts provided s’mores and other food at their house. We all got outside and spent a lot of quality time together. We offered up our home for others to shower and stay.

The most inspirational thing about the hurricane was seeing how giving and amazing all of our neighbors truly are and how lucky and proud I am to be part of the Biltmore Park community.” — Stephanie Chambers Blackman, Woodvine Road