Helene Relief Phase 2: Rebuild Lives, Restore Hope

Montana came home to a flood zone—and no one to call.

He grew up in Old Fort, North Carolina, on land his family had held for generations. His grandparents, Clyde and Judy, built their home in the 1960s. His mother, Helen, raised him there as a single parent. Together, they were his entire world.

In just three years, he lost all three. Cancer claimed his grandmother and mother. His grandfather followed soon after, passing from heartbreak.

Montana had moved back home during the pandemic to care for them—and stayed to carry their legacy forward.

Then came Hurricane Helene.

Montana was in New York City for work when the storm hit. Despite warnings not to return, he boarded a plane and drove into the disaster zone.

Both family homes were still standing. But each basement had flooded with over six feet of water.

With no immediate family left and FEMA unresponsive after multiple appeals, Montana felt alone. That’s when he reached out to us.

This week, a volunteer team from Knox Baptist Church in South Dakota stepped in. They cleared debris, removed waterlogged furniture, and filled two dumpsters. Yet what they really helped restore was hope.

“This isn’t just about a house,” Montana told us. “It’s about carrying forward the people I loved most.”

His story is one of deep loss, quiet resilience, and a legacy worth protecting.

You can help carry that legacy forward.

• Pray for Montana and others like him who are rebuilding more than just homes.
• Give to support recovery efforts across Western North Carolina.
• Go and serve with us on the ground—there’s a place for you here.

Thank you for being part of the story. You are the difference between devastation and restoration.