The uncertainty is the hardest part.
Pictures are flooding in. Pictures of destruction, of sorrow. Pictures of caved in roofs and overturned cars, flooded highways and massive trees on their sides. Pictures of rescues and exhausted first responders and collapsed roads.
Most of you have no idea what condition your home is in.
Topsail is completely closed off, Wilmington has become an island, and it’s being recommended to completely bypass North Carolina during any sort of travel. There is helicopter footage and the pictures are coming, yet there is no real ability to assess damage.
You’ve seen terrible destruction before during Harvey, during Katrina, Irma, Maria–on the news. Over a screen. Maybe when you went to help.
I know your heart went out to those people. I know you offered kind words, finances, prayers, and resources. Your children offered teddy bears to those people and you watched as restaurants generously fed those people and first responders rescued those people.
And now you are one of “those people.”
An evacuee, a victim of a natural disaster. As seen on the nightly news.
You never thought it would be you. “Those people” have always been precisely that–someone else.
I’ve always been amazed at how disaster can bring people together. In history, many times when our communities have been at their weakest, our country has been at its strongest. 9/11 brought America together. I have gotten to know more neighbors in the past week than I have in the two years of living in our little community. I’ve never seen such an outpouring of encouragement and strength from North Carolina as I have seen this week.
Also, can we talk about how in the face of a natural disaster, North Carolina laughed? Oh, we certainly cried too, but I think we can all agree that the jokes have been great. I’ve never seen a state facing a natural disaster with the potential to basically wipe them off the map with memes and, essentially, “Come at me, bro!”
Perhaps it has something to do with the military culture that permeates so deeply into the NC coastal areas, particularly around Camp Lejeune. War is painful and we cope with humor. We can laugh or we can cry. The resiliency of our state and the strength in the face of fear is incredible–regardless of the fact we just faced a hurricane that destroyed so much, I have fallen in love with North Carolina. We are strong.
You are strong.
You never thought you would have to sit on the floor next to your baby, combing through her toys and newborn pictures and momentos, trying to decide what you don’t mind losing. You never thought you would have to decide between saving your wedding dress or the quilt from your late grandma. You never thought you would have to walk out of the door of your home and know next time you walk back in, it could be completely ruined. You never thought you would have to pack up all the irreplaceable pieces of your life into your car and drive away.
You never thought you would be stuck in a pitch black home with a leaking roof, howling winds, and trees crashing down around you. You never thought you would be sitting in your car in a panic trying to find help as your home slowly filled with water. You never thought you would run out of food or water or funds with no way to leave.
You certainly never guessed Wilmington would become a literal island.
You never thought you would have to evacuate a potential category 5 hurricane without your husband and you never thought you would have to leave with no idea when you could come back.
And yet you did. And you did it with a brave smile and a sense of humor and a determination to rebuild whatever you lost.
The country is uniting around you, sending food, sending donations, sending linemen. NYPD sent a convey down on the anniversary of 9/11–they came to help you. Marines are deploying high water humvees for rescues and armored vehicle launch bridges to open roads. People are lining up with their boats to get others safe from rising waters, driving around with gas and water asking anyone if they need it, and showing up with chainsaws to help strangers cut trees off their roofs. Our local pizza shop and a BBQ joint in Surf City stayed behind to feed first responders and they are not the only ones–everyone wants to give; everyone wants to help.
This is the storm of a lifetime, they said, and we never thought we would see so much destruction in our little coastal towns and islands. We’re all heartbroken. We never thought we would be “those people.”
But we are, and we will come out of it better.
We are Carolina strong and while our communities might take months, years to recover, we will recover.
And then we will be “those people” who are stronger than ever.
Just a (very, very) few pictures of the aftermath of Hurricane Florence from the locals. When I asked for people to share pictures, they flooded in, and I chose only a few. Special thank you to Matt Ray Photography–his photos are credited and they are amazing! The last picture is near our apartment in Wilmington. Some of these are pictures people shared of their homes. I genuinely cannot even imagine.
Photo credit for cover photo of Ice House to Todd Dini of East Carolina Fun/Dini Photo
This made me cry. Especially where you said my story perfectly. I was scared but I stuck it out and I am so proud of my husband for going out and helping rescue all those people, and I’m proud of our state for coming together like they have.
I love you and your story scared me too. I’m so thankful you guys are safe and I am SO proud of Eddie and everyone else too!
I just moved here from California in June. I’ve had to evacuate for fires, but never for a hurricane. We had to leave my home in Cali during El Nino in the late 90s I think, but only cuz we lived right next to a backed up storm drain. We lost old photos and other property.
This was definitely a scary and stressful situation. I’m thankful for being able to get away and living minimally made it easy to pack up and go with our two cats, but I do feel compassion for those that had to leave behind entire lives worth of memories!
Living minimally made this so much easier for us as well! We were actually on the back end of a move with some stuff in storage so I felt okay about it but I can’t have imagined it any other way! So glad you guys are safe!
I am a local to Jacksonville NC. I married a Marine 10 years ago. We have been fortunate to have been stationed near my family. I have been through so many hurricanes in my life but this one was different. It scared me. We have 4 small children and when they say Cat 4 possibly Cat 5 I made the decision to get out. You talked about my story. I did it without my husband there. I went through all of our irreplaceable things, even our dogs urns. Packed our suv up with memories, the kids, the dog, enough clothes I could fit a family of 6 into 3 suitcases. I finished packing the car, had the kids in their car seats, before I shut the door on our home I said a prayer and I cried. Yes it’s just a house and stuff, but we made it our home. So many memories, so many first. But I made peace with things and I wanted to take our kids where it is safe. As I sit here still not able to get back home to check on the damage of our home I’m at peace. So many people lost everything. I’m ready to get back and help in anyway I can.
At the beginning I definitely thought this would be like all the other not so bad hurricanes but the more information came out the more it was obvious this one really was different and that was the scariest part! It is just a house and it is just stuff, but it’s important to us and our memories are in those places and it’s hard to say goodbye. I am so glad you are at peace, my friend <3 I'm ready to get back too!
<3 you wrote this almost exactly as I remember it happening for us. Down to the pets ashes and choosing between albums or ashes. To the tears as I did a final walk through alone, touching the wall where we marked my sons height as he grew, ran my fingers along the photos still hanging on the walls. The tears streamed down my face as I finally broke down after clicking the last lock on my front door, it was like shutting away a lifetime of memories I could not believe I may never see the same easy again, if at all. It was the first time In my entire families history of living in NC and south Florida anyone had to evacuate-,I was scared, sad, angry, and anxious but we would be safe, what couldn't be replaced was in that truck and I closed my eyes, raised my hands fell to my knees and prayed. I prayed for the house, the town, the state, the unknown, the pol taking us in, the future.
For days I couldn't let go of my phone. The news got worse and my anxiety grew with every heartbreaking post I read from back home. Suddenly my tears meant nothing as we were outsiders looking in, still not "those people"-those neighbors, friends, co workers. Classmates those whod became like family to us.
Finally, something good happened, we got pictures of our home-the moment we saw them, I cannot write with words the description and emotion that was written in our bodies. Our house was ok. We were ok. Our lives were going to be ok. And then we returned and we were faced with the reality we had not been exposed to. The floods, the damage. The area cut off from the rest of the world. My heart breaks for everyone suffering, and all I want to do is help. We came home to what many others dont have-power, running water, wifi-and so much more. We have a home. We have our lives the way we left them. The guilt and shame of that is almost as much as the gratitude and amazement of answered prayers. My heart truly aches right now. I pray you return to things being home you left them, I pray your family doesnt have to go through the pain and if you do, know that I would be there for you, willing to help if needed, just like the rest of your community we are CAROLINA STRONG!!!
This is so beautifully written! I am SO glad your home is okay and mostly I am glad y’all are safe! We have still not returned and I’m dreading going back and seeing all the devastation yet I’m also eager to go back and help rebuild. We shall find out what we return to tomorrow. My heart aches too, friend <3
This is everything. We’re still waiting to get back home. Thank you. NC STRONG!
Emma this is written beautifully, thank you for writing how I feel…how many feel… I miss my home, my things that I had to leave behind, my small business that I didn’t know if I would have when I got back, I worried about my friends who are family, that couldn’t evacuate, I had to leave with 2 dogs and 2 young children while my husband was “away”…. we have been stationed here for over 14 years and I have never had to evacuate… I honestly debated it because it was so surreal…I am grateful we left when we did and I am scared to go back to the unknown… god bless those who have been thru the worst….prayers to all… carolinaonmymind, carolinainmyheart, carolinamyhome
Sometimes being able to see the words written down—to know we’re not the only ones feeling a certain way—makes all the difference! We’re still not back and I miss it too, although honestly it’s kind of nice being away because I can remember it the way it was. I’m glad you and your family are safe!
Emma- I own a magazine in Morehead City, “Coastal a living on the Pointe.” A lot of my subscribers have endured substantial damages to their homes and businesses. Could I run your article in our next issue ?,
I am so sorry I am only just seeing this comment. If it’s not too late–of course! I would love for this to be able to encourage as many as possible!