Dispatch from Asheville, NC
Dispatch from Asheville, NC
Sometimes your editor texts and asks, "Can you get on a plane immediately?"
To which, when my editor at Real Clear Investigations asked on Monday, I responded, “Yes.” This won’t be a long report - I’ll be saving much for the article - but those interested can follow here and also over on Substack Notes at
. (Also posting on Twitter because Twitter, @nancyromm)First, there are different levels of devastation here. Sometimes it’s roads with many (many) downed trees that have been cleared. Other times, it’s entire towns that are now gone, as I spoke about after a visit yesterday to Chimney Rock.
The town of Swannanoa was wiped out by a river of the same name. The whole strip through town is variations on these pics, as well as huge craters created left by the water.
Everywhere, everywhere, there are good people helping those in need, from neighbors and churches and people driving cross-country hauling tractor trailers full of donated goods, to FEMA, the National Guard and law enforcement coming in from other states (shout out: New Jersey). Really amazing. Here are some images from Chimney Rock.
And, from the lobby in my hotel just now.
Still no potable water, nor for showering. I’m grimy but glad to be here. Story coming soon and until then I’ll keep the photos and updates coming. If you aren’t already a paid subscriber, please consider becoming one. I love this reporting and will keep at it until they throw dirt in my eyes and also need to keep the lights on xx
So glad you are covering this!! WNC is like a second home to me and these people cannot be forgotten. Was just in Asheville at the end of August…truly breaks my heart to see what everyone in that area is going through.
I don't remember who said it, might have been a celebrity or in some movie. But they were talking about seeing horrible things happen like this and the advice was "look for the helpers". Every time I have been in the middle of some kind of total shit show where things went wrong that little nugget wherever it came from, really changes how I experience the whole thing. The bulk of people in the world yearn to be of service to people I think, and when shit like this goes down you get to see just how many of them there are. Warms the cockles of my cold black heart. Looking forward to the reports because no one cares about anything right now unless it is directly related to red or blue team.