Surviving the Storm of a Lifetime … Again is featured in our December 2018 issue. This is part four of a four-part feature: The Approach, The Landfall, The Aftermath.
As long as Hurricane Florence seemed to last, the wake the hurricane leaves behind endures even longer — for weeks, months — in a cacophony of chainsaws, blowers, and roofing hammers. Gargantuan machines scoop roadside mountains of debris into high, slab-sided black trailers, and, one truckload at a time, the wreckage disappears. Each day, a little more beauty returns.
But here’s the thing: As awful as Hurricane Florence was, it has brought us together. Everyone has a storm story, and sharing them creates a common language of survival.
We remain mindful of those who have lost homes, cars, belongings — and, in a few cases, loved ones.
We remain grateful to the first responders, Red Cross volunteers, and linemen in their bucket trucks.
Ultimately, it was our neighbors across the Wilmington and Brunswick County who stepped up, disregarding their differences, sharing food and water, taking in the displaced, reaching into their wallets on behalf of those in need. Finally, out of the havoc of Hurricane Florence comes a communal gesture of grace.
Read Surviving Hurricane Florence: The Approach
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
