Hurricane Helene: One Man’s Efforts to Save His Neighbor

Hurricane Helene caused torrential floods and mudslides in Western North Carolina—devastating the entire region in late September. 

On Saturday, September 27, one North Carolina resident—Ken Fisher—rescued his neighbor and lifelong friend who had been caught up in a landslide and then trapped in a storm drain. Ken shares the terrifying events of that day, and how God is with us in the worst situations, on this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. 

Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio. 

Transcript

MUSIC STARTS

Ken Fisher: 
00:00:00 The best way I know to describe it was it looked like a war zone. It was just that bad.

Phil Fleischman: Ken Fisher is describing the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. He lives in Linville Falls, North Carolina, with his wife, Patty. 

Ken:
00:00:17 Around 10:30 that morning, there was someone beating on our door, and it was our neighbor. She was just hysterical; she was in tears, couldn’t hardly understand her, but she informed me that they had a landslide at their home, and that it had taken part of their house off, and that her husband was somewhere underneath that or somewhere in the debris.

Phil: You’ll hear more of Ken’s story of unshakable faith and hope on this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. It’s an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I’m Phil Fleischman. 

Also on this episode, you’ll hear from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. Its chaplains are on the ground in Western North Carolina ministering to those who’ve lost so much.

Toni New:
00:01:10 Our chaplains are crisis management trained chaplains. We come to bring hope and peace through Jesus and show them that Jesus loves them. And we’re praying for people; we’re talking to people.
Phil: If at any point during this episode of GPS, you’d like to talk with someone about God’s love for you, call our 24-hour Billy Graham prayer line. The number is 855-255-7729. That’s 855-255-PRAY.

And if you would like to learn more about the work of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton, check out the show notes. We’ve got some links there you can follow.

Intro: GPS: God. People. Stories.

MUSIC TRANSITION

Phil: Before Hurricane Helene ever made its way into North Carolina, another storm had already dumped several inches of heavy rain in the western part of the state. So, Ken Fisher and his wife, Patty, went to bed concerned about the looming hurricane and the additional rain it would bring. 

Ken:
00:02:16 I was awakened around probably 3:30 a.m., in the morning, by the storm, and it sounded horrible. We were scared.

Phil: As the wind howled, they heard trees snapping and falling in their backyard. But under the darkness of night, they couldn’t see the magnitude of the destruction that had begun.

Ken:
00:02:36 All I knew to do at that point was to pray. I asked the Lord for His protection on us and our family.

Phil: Ken was concerned about his 90-year-old father who lives alone, and about his son, daughter-in-law, and his little granddaughter, who live just 20 miles away.

Ken:
00:02:53 I guess prayed the most I’ve prayed probably in a long time, just trying to get peace.

Phil: After daybreak, Ken and Patty looked out their windows to see downed trees, power lines, debris everywhere¬—and the rain was still falling.

Ken:
00:03:11 The best way I know to describe it was it looked like a war zone. It was just that bad. We had lost all cell service. We had no connection to the outside world; we were just felt completely cut off.

Phil: So, they pulled out an old weather radio they’d had for years. Patty found some batteries for it and when they turned the dial, it crackled to life. They were listening to weather updates out of Asheville until a neighbor came running to them for help. 

Ken:
00:03:39 Around 10:30 that morning, there was someone beating on our door, and it was our neighbor. She was just hysterical; she was in tears, couldn’t hardly understand her, but she informed me that they had a landslide at their home, and that it had taken part of their house off, and that her husband was somewhere underneath that or somewhere in the debris.

Phil: That neighbor, Lorene Carver, wasn’t sure if her husband, David, was still alive. All she did know was that he had been washed away with part of their house.

Ken:
00:04:17 I informed her that I would go and I would find him. And I just jerked on my boots and got my jacket and took off down to her house.

Phil: After crawling underneath and climbing over top of fallen tree after fallen tree, Ken found his neighbors’ home, ripped apart—but David was nowhere in sight.

Ken:
00:04:42 From what I understand, they were outside working, trying to divert the water from behind their house that was coming off of the mountain behind them, and she had just stepped inside to get something.

Phil: And within two minutes, Lorene heard a loud boom and David call her name—then … silence.

Ken:
00:05:03 He never replied when she called out to him. 

Phil: When Ken arrived, he tried calling David’s name repeatedly, hoping for a different outcome.

Ken:
00:05:12 Finally, he hollered back. So, I was able to determine the area that he was in, underneath the roof of his home and all the debris. I just started working immediately, trying to dig in to him and remove the debris and it was just horrific.

Phil: All Ken had to use at first was an old, wooden-handled garden shovel. He worked feverishly to get to David through what Ken called an “overwhelming” amount of trees, metal rebar, debris, and mud.



Ken:
00:05:45 I was determined. I knew that I had to be able to see him. And so, I was able to get enough debris off to where I could see that he was located in a storm drain at the bottom of their yard.

Phil: Inside that storm drain, a tree had pinned David in from the waist down. He couldn’t move.

Ken:
00:06:06 I told him that I was going to get him out. He was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to get out of it. He was afraid that he would probably die there.

Phil: As Ken worked to ease David’s fears, he also had to work to be able to look him in the eye. David’s face was covered with mud and hidden from Ken. All he could see of him was his head and upper torso.

Ken:
00:06:30 There was so much mud; I said, Dave, I’m going to fetch some water, and I’m going to pour on your face if you can take your hand and try to clean your face off so you can get your eyes open.

Phil: So, finally, with some of the mud washed away, Ken could look David in the eye and encourage him. David immediately asked about his wife, Lorene, and he asked that she come to where they were.

Ken:
00:06:52 He was concerned that he wasn’t going to live, and he said, I need to talk to her.

Phil: And he did. They brought Lorene to David. Ken stayed with her to comfort her while she and David talked. David told her he loved her more than anything in the world and he asked her to tell their kids and grandkids that he loved them. Then he asked Ken to pray for him. Huddled together, Lorene reached down through the drain to grab David’s arm and put her other hand in Ken’s.

Ken:
00:07:20 And we prayed. And I asked the Lord to deliver him from that place, and to get him out of there alive.

Phil: It was a holy moment. Ken says you could feel God’s presence in the midst of the mud, the fallen trees … and the fear. 

For the next several hours, Ken and several neighbors worked on removing debris from around David and on clearing the road so emergency personnel could get through. No longer just using an old garden shovel though, they now had a neighbor’s tractor and chainsaw to help. 
Ken:
00:07:53 I was, had a lot of anxiety because I was limited to what I could do. And I felt like time was important. I felt like we needed to get him out as soon as possible for him to have any chance to survive—but at the same time, I can assure you, I was praying constantly for the Lord to spare him and to help him.

Phil: There was one spot—one spot—they found where Ken’s wife, Patty, was able to get enough of a cellphone signal to call 911. They tried multiple times before finally getting through, about half an hour after Lorene first ran to them for help. But it would be nearly five hours before emergency personnel could get to them. All the while, the rain never stopped.

Ken:
00:08:43 That was another thing that—a concern: There was water coming in on him. So we had to get that water diverted and turned away to keep it from drowning him.

Phil: As the hours went on, David’s breathing grew shallow. He kept going in and out of consciousness from pain. Still, he hung on.

Ken:
00:09:04 After the rescue personnel arrived, they worked probably a good four and a half to five hours removing him.

Phil: One of the rescue personnel crawled up through the drain line below the road to wrap a coat around David and to share some of their body heat with him. They had to crawl 30 or 40 feet through the drain to get to David, but he was soaking wet and they wanted to keep him from going into shock.

Ken:
00:09:31 Everyone there just worked and done everything they could to try to make it as easy for him as we could and as comfortable.

Phil: David spent nearly 11 hours in the drain before rescuers were finally able to free him and transport him to the hospital Friday night. Medics wanted to fly him out in a helicopter, but conditions just wouldn’t allow it, so he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Because there was no cellphone service, Ken didn’t hear about David’s condition until the following evening when Lorene was returning home. 

Ken:
00:10:05 She said, Ken, have you heard about David? And I said, No, Lorene, I haven’t. I said, How is he? And she said, He’s in Heaven now.

Phil: Filled with emotion, Lorene hugged Ken and she shared her appreciation for all he did to try to save her husband. 


Ken:
00:10:24 I was devastated because I felt like, just—I didn’t know really how bad his condition was, but I didn’t know if he would ever, you know, walk again. But I felt like, after surviving for that period of time and having the care he needed, then I felt like he would be OK, maybe. That was my hope.

Phil: But God had a different plan.

Ken:
00:10:51 God’s plan was fulfilled. … It’s amazing that he lived through … the landslide, but I believe the Lord allowed that so he could see his family again and talk them, his wife. God was in control of the situation, even when it was bad. God was still in control.

Phil: In the midst of their grief, David’s family is clinging to God during this time.

Ken:
00:11:18 They’re a family of strong faith. He has two children, a son and a daughter. And his son is a preacher.

Phil: In fact, the same day that David was fighting for his life, his son and daughter-in-law lost their home and had to be rescued from the floodwaters. Still, that son testified to God’s goodness on social media. He did what his dad had done before him: pointed people to Jesus Christ.

Ken:
00:11:44 He spent his life serving the Lord and providing for his family. He was a wonderful man, a wonderful husband, a great father, and a good friend. Everyone that knew him loved him. He was just that kind of person. He sang in a quartet, had a beautiful voice.

Phil: Ken and David’s roots ran deep as both neighbors and friends. 

Ken:
00:12:08 His dad was my pastor for over 20 years. Even before that, before his dad pastored our church, he pastored a church across the road from where I lived growing up. They were just like family to me. 

Phil: Growing up, Ken would get off the bus and play ball with David after school. They were neighbors as kids and then as adults.

Ken:
00:12:31 I lost both a brother and a best friend. Our community will never be the same without him. He will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him.

Phil: Ken is forever thankful that at one point during the 11-hour ordeal, he and David were able to share what would turn out to be their final goodbyes. Ken said to his lifelong friend, “I love you, David, and I’m praying for you.” David replied saying, “I love you too, Ken. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

David Carver was just 58 years old when he died, but his legacy as a follower of Jesus Christ remains strong. 

Ken:
00:13:09 There’s a reason for all things. Even though we don’t know, God sees the end from the beginning. We don’t have that capability. But God knows; He’s in control, and He has a plan and a purpose.

Phil: Ken and Patty’s home suffered only minor damage. But David’s death and the devastation that Ken sees all throughout his community have served as stark reminders of what’s most important in life. 

Ken:
00:13:40 We spend our lives working, to have things, and to try to provide for our families. But the fact is, those could be gone in an instant, just like what we’ve seen. And, the only thing that’s sure, and the only thing that we have that we know is solid is our relationship with Jesus. And that’s what matters more than anything else, is to know that you have that personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

MUSIC TRANSITION

Phil: That is a powerful reminder from Ken Fisher about the peace and hope that comes only through a relationship with Jesus Christ. We can tell you more about beginning a relationship with Jesus right now at our website, FindPeaceWithGod.net. That’s FindPeaceWithGod.net. Or, if you’d rather talk with someone, you can call our 24-hour Billy Graham prayer line. The number is 855-255-7729. That’s 855-255-PRAY.

In just a moment, you’re going to hear from a Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplain talking about that ministry’s work in Western North Carolina.

Voice-over: You’re listening to GPS: God. People. Stories., a podcast production of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

MUSIC STARTS

Billy Graham:
00:15:20 There are storms in the world today. There are storms in your own life …

Voice-over: Billy Graham …

Billy Graham:
00:15:25 … storms of temptation, confusion, and difficulty. Where are we going to turn? Many years ago, the Apostle Paul faced that question from the crew of his storm-tossed ship. The giant swells and waves were about to overwhelm the small boat. The lightning flashed and the thunder roared. The apostle stands in the eye of the storm and says, “I believe God.” This gave him a confidence, a peace, a security that could not be found in any of the other philosophies and ideologies of his day. You who are listening to my voice today in the midst of the storms of life, do you have that same peace and confidence which Paul had? Are you able to stand in the face of the storms of your own life and say, “I have faith in God.”?

Phil: You can discover more about putting your faith in Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have. Just go to our website: FindPeaceWithGod.net. That’s FindPeaceWithGod.net.

Our guest on this episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. has been Ken Fisher. He’s a husband, father, and faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Ken ministered to a victim of Hurricane Helene hours before the man died of his injuries.

Others who are ministering to survivors of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina are chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. 

Toni:
00:16:51 Our chaplains are crisis management trained chaplains. We come to bring hope and peace through Jesus and show them that Jesus loves them.
 
Phil: Toni New is a chaplain coordinator with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team.

Toni:
00:17:07 We’re praying for people; we’re talking to people, and we’re talking to homeowners. We’re working with the Samaritan’s Purse team and a lot of the Samaritan’s Purse teams that are out working in the community come from here. 

Phil: Samaritan’s Purse is a sister ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, helping with the physical work of recovering from disaster. They minister side by side with chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team—that ministry has been ongoing in Western North Carolina and is now also happening in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. You can learn more about all of this by following the links in our show notes.

We’re grateful for Ken Fisher joining us on this episode and sharing his story and the story of his brother in Christ, David Carver. Ken recorded this episode from his son’s home, as his family all remained safe during the storm. 

If you’d like to make sure you never miss an episode of GPS, go ahead and hit the subscribe button right now. We publish new episodes every two weeks. I’m Phil Fleischman, and this is GPS. God. People. Stories. It’s an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association—Always Good News.

CLOSING MUSIC

# # #