In The Eye of The Storm: Bill’s Story

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The Devastation of Hurricane Helene: A Tragic Reminder of Nature’s Power 

In the Fall of 2024, the world witnessed the fury of one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent history—Hurricane Helene. The Category 5 storm, which rapidly strengthened in the Atlantic Ocean, left a trail of destruction across coastal areas, bringing with it winds of up to 180 mph, torrential rains, and massive storm surges. Helene’s catastrophic impact has forever marked the communities it touched, reminding us of the unpredictable and destructive nature of hurricanes. 

Helene was the most intense hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, and its rapid development caught many off guard. The storm’s path shifted, taking it towards the Caribbean islands, with forecasts indicating a potentially devastating impact for parts of the U.S. East Coast. As the storm strengthened, warnings were issued, and evacuation orders were given in anticipation of the storm’s landfall. 

The Path of Destruction 

As Hurricane Helene approached, coastal communities braced for the worst. The American coast, particularly areas in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, felt the brunt of Helene’s power. In Florida, storm surges along the Gulf Coast swallowed entire neighborhoods, while cities like Miami faced severe flooding and wind damage. The storm’s enormous size caused devastation far beyond the direct landfall zone, as tropical storm-force winds extended hundreds of miles, causing widespread power outages and complicating rescue efforts. 

As Helene continued its rampage, the Carolinas bore the brunt of its most intense fury. Coastal towns were all but wiped off the map, with debris scattering across miles of coastline. Rising waters inundated residential areas, and power lines were torn down, leaving millions without electricity for days. In some places, the flooding reached levels never seen, making rescue and recovery efforts nearly impossible in certain areas. 

Loss of Life and Property 

In western-North Carolina is where Bill Esguerra and his wife travelled with the Samaritan’s Purse to volunteer, assisting with some of the relief efforts. Bill, a tenured employer with Verduyn Tarps at our Gary, IN location, felt compelled to offer any help after seeing the devastation caused by the catastrophic flooding. “What we witnessed was more heartbreaking than we could have imagined. Entire communities were unrecognizable, their homes submerged, their lives turned upside down,” Bill explained.  

 

Communities like Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, are dealing with some of the most severe damage. Entire neighborhoods have been submerged, leaving families stranded in their homes with little hope of returning to normal life anytime soon. The damage extends beyond just the physical—local economies have been crippled, and agricultural industries that depend on coastal regions have seen their livelihoods wiped out. 

One incredibly special woman truly touched bill and his wife. Ironically, “[she] had moved to North Carolina from Alabama, seeking refuge from the relentless hurricanes of the Gulf Coast. Her home was inundated, with seven inches of mud caked onto her kitchen floor. The floodwaters had climbed so high they overtook her windows, leaving watermarks fourteen feet up the walls,” Bill recalls. 

Continuing to share his boots-on-the-ground account of the devastation and aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Bill painted a vivid picture that was coloured with heartbreak, defeat, and complex grief. “She managed to save her horses—her only solace—but her home was beyond saving. Every step we took through her house was a reminder of the loss…. We ripped her house down to the studs, uncovering extensive mold damage that threatened to claim what little remained. It was grueling work, and every nail we pried loose felt like we were dismantling the remnants of her life,” Bill uttered. 

Rebuilding and Recovery 

As the cleanup efforts continue, there is hope that the communities affected by Hurricane Helene can rebuild and recover. Human resilience is powerful, and with the right support, these communities will eventually return to some semblance of normalcy. Bill recalls, “…in the following days, our efforts extended beyond demolition.” It was clear to the couple that the greatest tragedy to the community was the life-long emotional scarring to those most fragile: the children. “We made trips to small churches… that provided a sense of community. They offered everything from clothing to toys and books for children whose lives had been upended. One church stood out… a makeshift sanctuary filled with coloring books and old paperbacks, where parents clung to anything that could distract their kids from the nightmare outside.” 

The scars left by this storm will undoubtably take much longer to heal. Recovery will involve more than just rebuilding homes; it will require restoring the social fabric of these communities, providing mental health support, and ensuring that the most vulnerable populations are given the resources they need to recover. “It’s hard to describe the resilience of these communities,” says Bill. “They had lost so much, but they held onto each other.” At the end of the couple’s nine-hour day, they handed her a Bible. In that moment, all the chaos and destruction seemed to pause. “My wife hugged her—a long, tearful embrace between two strangers bound by compassion. In that quiet moment of prayer, hope flickered amidst the ruins,” Bill states. 

Hurricane Helene has been a devastating tragedy, but it has also ignited a global conversation about how we respond to natural disasters and how we work toward preventing their most severe impacts. The lessons learned from this storm will shape our collective future, and, in the wake of such loss, humanity will emerge with a renewed sense of urgency to confront climate change and protect those most at risk from future storms. 

 

How We Can Help 

We are profoundly grateful to have such a devoted and charitable individual as a part of the Verduyn Tarps family. Bill’s last thoughts could not have summarized his experience more distinctly, “As we carried out supplies or knelt in prayer with strangers, we realized how much strength there is in kindness.”  

We want to thank Bill and his wife for their self-less acts of kindness and are proud to support their volunteer efforts as best we can. If anyone would like to show their support by donating food or supplies to the victims of Hurricane Helene, please visit www.ccdoc.org/wnc-donations to view a map of organizations accepting donations.  

Below is a list of organizations for you consideration (as recommended by Bill) where a donation of any kind would be appreciated: