Millions of people across the South are struggling to recover after Hurricane Helene tore through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia and slammed the Carolinas.
Historic flooding is blamed for more than 100 deaths, with people still missing. Millions of customers don't have power and don't have an exact timeline for repairs.
A North Texas woman panicked over the weekend after she couldn't reach her mother and grandmother, who live outside Ashville, North Carolina. When Sarah Fivecoat initially spoke with NBC 5 on Saturday from her home in Kaufman, she posted a video on her TikTok account to her 88,000-plus followers looking for information about her family.
She learned they were OK and then was finally able to speak with them on the phone.
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"Just to be able to hear her voice was, it was the biggest blessing ever. The best news that you could hear is that your family was safe," said Fivecoat. "They did happen to get cell service Saturday night, which is how we were able to talk to her, but even now, it's still spotty. There are a lot of times that I call and it still doesn't go through. She says that she has a hard time calling out sometimes."
Fivecoat said her mother had to wait two hours for gas and another two for food.
“There are a few passable roads. She does work in a hospital and she was actually called last night to try and make it in this morning to go and help. Her travel is normally about 15 minutes; it took her a lot longer to get in there, and she said it was devastating when she walked into the hospital today and just saw everybody in there. I mean, the hospital is literally flooded with people. She said there's people on stretchers in the hallways just waiting to get help," described Fivecoat.
“This state needs prayers along with the other states that have been affected. I mean, just letting them know that you're thinking about them. If you find somewhere where you can send donations there, all over Facebook, all over TikTok, there's people that are loading up. I know that there's been tons of helicopters that have gone and dropped off water, tons of planes that are going and dropping off tons of supplies," said Fivecoat.
She would then learn her mom was OK.
About 100 volunteers from the Texans on Mission left North Texas Monday morning on their way to Tennessee. By the end of the week, they plan to have crews in the Carolinas and Florida. They will help clean out people's homes and provide meals, mobile showers, and other resources.
"We go in and we stay as long as there is a need. And so, we pray that the need is short-lived, but in this situation, we know that the needs are extreme. I mean, in these counties, they have no power, they have very limited water. Much of the infrastructure has been washed away. In fact, getting into these communities is proving to be a challenge," said John Hall with Texans on Mission.
