(DailyChive.com) – A family in North Carolina is heartbroken after a devastating mudslide, triggered by Hurricane Helene tore through the region, killing 11 of their loved ones.
The Craig family had lived in Fairview, North Carolina, for generations. Locals knew them well, even calling their cluster of homes “Craigtown.” But at the end of September, Hurricane Helene brought severe flooding that changed the Craig family’s life forever.
According to reports, several Craig family members lived next to each other in homes that were directly in the path of a mudslide caused by the storm’s flooding. Tragically, everyone inside those homes was killed.
“My mom and dad, my aunt and uncle, my great-aunt and uncle — I’ve lost cousins, second cousins… altogether, we lost 11 family members,” said Jesse Craig, one of the few surviving relatives.
Jesse shared that his grandfather was the first Craig to move to Fairview, buying land in the 1950s. Over the years, more family members settled there, building what became a tight-knit community. Now, that same community is struggling to cope with unimaginable loss.
“I can’t wrap my head around it,” Jesse’s wife, MeKenzie, said. “It feels like it’s been going on forever. I don’t even know what day it is anymore.” MeKenzie added, “I don’t know if this town will ever feel the same again”.
In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the surviving family members with funeral expenses, medical costs, and rebuilding efforts. By Thursday night, it had raised $127,748.
“We’re close friends with the Craigs and wanted to support them however we could,” reads the message on the GoFundMe page. “This will help with the many needs they’re facing now and in the months to come.”
Hurricane Helene’s impact across the southeastern U.S. has been devastating. Authorities report that more than 230 people have died so far. In Buncombe County, where Fairview is located, the storm claimed 72 lives, and rescue teams are still searching for missing people, though the exact number of those unaccounted for remains unclear.
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