Hurricane Helene Flooding Cullowhee, NC

[@HopeyDopey143]

SO HEARTBREAKING!! My heart aches for everyone affected! I am only 130 miles from Chimney Rock, NC .. Always loved it ! I won’t live long enough to see all these beautiful places restored, but I pray it won’t take too very many years !! GID BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU !

[@foothills6]

@@HopeyDopey143 thank you! So heartfelt.

[@micheleramos5689]

Thanks for sharing this. I was wondering how Cullowhee fared.

[@Dadzgrl5529]

Thank you for posting this and also for all the information in the comments section. I have 2 nephews that go to wcu. I feel better knowing that it's just internet and cell service that's down and that the flooding wasn't as bad as it was in Asheville

[@foothills6]

@@Dadzgrl5529 not nearly as bad! Roads are clear. Water has receded.

[@Dadzgrl5529]

@@foothills6 thank you very much for that video. ♥️

[@SunshinePadilla-k2h]

thank you for posting! makes me worry a little less!

[@Musicman-y7v]

See some smart people there with their homes up off of the ground. Thanks for the update

[@autumnartz3194]

Tysm for posting 😭 My boyfriend and his sister are in an apartment near WCU and I haven’t heard from him. Hopefully they fix the service soon 😭

[@Dadzgrl5529]

Yes! So cellular service is down there? I have 2 nephews that go to wcu and we've only heard from one.

[@autumnartz3194]

@@Dadzgrl5529 I believe so, I haven’t heard from him since early yesterday and whenever I try to call it goes straight to voicemail, so I think they don’t have any cell service right now 😭

[@foothills6]

@@Dadzgrl5529 yes cell and internet are down. River is back down. Roads are clear.

[@rw2629]

1985 grad here. Incredible!

[@jEthrodul1]

I was there ‘81-‘85! Love that place!

[@HaithamDawuid2424]

Thank you for this video, hope everyone is safe, stay strong

[@333AppalachiaEnergetics]

Thanks for sharing, has anyone been able to connect with anyone from Hot springs, Waynesville or Spruce pine yet? Thx 🙏

[@davidcoles198]

Is that the town where western u is?

[@stonewolf6124]

how is it now for yall, we cannot reach my brother in law in this same town, we are really worried.

[@foothills6]

@@stonewolf6124 cell signal and internet was down. Not sure about now. Some apartments and trailers were evacuated. The flooding was not as bad as it was in Waynesville and Asheville.

[@dianegilmore1214]

I hope everyone is safe. My husband and I were about to make a trip there to look at some property. I am praying for everyone.

[@cari286]

Out of curiosity, is there any chance you can see if the bridge leading to my parent’s cabin was washed out. I haven’t been able to reach them and know that they won’t be able to leave if the bridge is gone.

[@foothills6]

@@cari286 depends. where is it?

[@cari286]

Any way I can send you their location privately?

[@rachelcasselman9616]

I have family I can’t reach that lives in the mobile home park at the 2 minute mark.. Is the power out or phone towers down? Do you know?

[@foothills6]

@@rachelcasselman9616 cell signal and internet was down. Not sure about now. Some apartments and trailers were evacuated. The flooding was not as bad as it was in Waynesville and Asheville.

[@Bonbun372]

​@@foothills6thank you for posting and updating - my brother's by WCU, so we're worried

[@foothills6]

@@Bonbun372 you're welcome. I'm going to drive to campus in a few minutes. I can post an updated video. I am fairly sure people on campus are safe but there is no cell tower working at this time. They had a dining hall open yesterday and a ton of students were walking around. Some from apartments were removed and are most likely staying with friends.

[@phyliciadavis8233]

I’m in Florida and can’t get through to family . Do you know if Summit at Cullowhee Apartments are okay or evacuated ?

[@foothills6]

@@rachelcasselman9616 that park at the 2 minute mark had only the very bottom trailers affected and what you saw in the video was after the water had receded some. I don't think anyone in that park was inconvenienced much except the ones right along the river.

[@brendamcintire1245]

My Step Daughter and our grandbaby live there. Haven't heard from her since Friday so worried.

[@lisacollins8719]

Stepson lives in cullowhee and noone has heard anything since Friday 😢

[@MrMrsregor]

They say power should be resorted in the next day or two. Phones and internet are coming back

[@courtneysweeney1791]

Ive got family staying at Riverwalk Apartments. Is there anyone who has information on that area?

[@foothills6]

@@courtneysweeney1791 I'll check. I'm pretty sure that road is open now.

[@courtneysweeney1791]

Appreciate it. I know it's up higher but it's still pretty close to the water.

[@foothills6]

@@courtneysweeney1791 the water is down to normal level now. Most likely the only problem there is the inconvenience of no cell or internet and they probably have a boil order for water.

[@KlutzKalico]

I'm sorry my fiance is at WCU I just need reassurance that he will be okay, do you have any more infortmation?

[@foothills6]

@@KlutzKalico not specifically about your fiancé. Other than the cell and internet service being down, everything seems fairly normal. Classes have been canceled for next week. Most everyone seems inconvenienced but fine.

[@KlutzKalico]

@@foothills6 Has there been any updates on when cell and internet service will be returned? Do you know if anyone has been hurt? Sorry for so many questions.

[@foothills6]

@@KlutzKalico no

[@KlutzKalico]

@@foothills6 Thank you so much.

[@force1253]

I attended WCU in 1971. I won the First Intercollegiate Tuckasegee River Tubing Championship. I'd say the river is just about right!

[@foothills6]

@@force1253 I'm all for a good joke but that joke is too soon and pretty insensitive. There's a ton of folks really suffering around WNC.

[@force1253]

@@foothills6 30 years in the service can do that. Believe me when I tell you that I am very sensitive to what is happening in my state. I've spent a lot of time looking at the destruction of places that I have known very well and I have people there too. It's just in my case I have to find something to laugh about or I'll cry.

[@ShortSeasonist]

We rented a cabin in Sylva but turned around Friday after seeing all the power outages and flooding but now vrbo (nor the owner) will refund us or issue any type of credit! Ridiculous

[@Planet_Molly]

The owner may be a little too busy to think about y'all right now. Hopefully vrbo will get back with you and the thousands of others in your same situation. A little patience and a little grace both go a long, long way. Especially when others are devastated.

[@ShortSeasonist]

@@Planet_Molly VRBO said they will NOT issue a refund since there was no emergency evacuation. The owner lives in Florida and was unaffected by Helene and still has not said if they will refund (or even issue a credit) us. Other family member rented a cabin 4 miles from us and was issued a credit immediately. We were notified by family in that area (we’re coming up for a reunion) that power was out (they finally able to get some service) but power outages and wifi still out in places and water has been an issue over the weekend as well. When we shared our updates with the owner he seemed ambivalent. Honestly we are mind blown that both vrbo as well as this owner seemed to care less about our safety as we have many texts/emails expressing that there was no emergency/evacuation in Jackson county which was the explanation for no refund/credit. It seemed like a no brainer but I’ll try to hold out hope as we are now seeking to dispute the charges with our credit card provider. Thank you for your response and possible attitude. Blessings 🙏

[@ShortSeasonist]

@@Planet_Molly I completely agree with you! Other family members received a refund immediately but VRBO said they will NOT refund us as there was not an emergency evacuation in Jackson county. I’m holding out hope for the owner to do the right thing (he lives in another state). We were supposed to have a family reunion, some live in that area, so we shared with the owner affected roads and that the power was out at the cabin yet he seemed ambivalent. That was why I posted the original comment as it just blew my mind! I’m shocked that our safety (and that of others) are of little concern after they received money. Simply stunned. But we are disputing the charges with credit card provider who at the moment seems as astonished as us. Go figure. Blessings and I do pray 🙏 that everyone stays safe.

[@Planet_Molly]

@@ShortSeasonist My sister has a house listed with vrbo and they can be slow (and sometimes difficult) for both owner and renter. In her case, I don’t believe she has any power to refund. (Not sure tho) I hope they do the right thing. God bless and God speed!

[@ShortSeasonist]

@@Planet_Molly my sister-in-law and my friend both have properties at the beach and yes they can privately refund as they do receive rental fund at some point though it can be a period of time…it’s at their discretion of course. With the NC governor making a statement not to travel in western Carolina and with the news, social media all highlighting such destruction and road impediments leading to that half of the state, it just made sense imo to tell customers to also not travel in areas deemed hazardous. Having said that, it’s just money at the end of the day. Many people are suffering right now so I’m thankful our family and friends are safe and accounted for. Not my finest moment to vent online during a state of disbelief of how much some people truly don’t seem to care… Thanks again for your kind & positive replies! God bless

[@AnaGabrielaMachadoRamirez]

My mom lives in the lake aparments and I dont know nothing from her.

[@garyreeve6793]

How's Western, trying to get ahold of my daughter

[@foothills6]

@@garyreeve6793 cell signal and internet was down. Not sure about now. Some apartments and trailers were evacuated. The flooding was not as bad as it was in Waynesville and Asheville. No on campus student housing was affected by flooding as far as I could tell.

[@foothills6]

@@garyreeve6793 we just drove around campus. All roads are open. There is power but no cell signal or internet that we could tell. The river is back down to a fairly normal level.

[@foothills6]

@@garyreeve6793 we just drove around campus. All roads are open. There is power but no cell signal or internet that we could tell. The river is back down to a fairly normal level.

[@micheleramos5689]

Haven't heard from my brothers either but I figured internet and cells were effected.

[@foothills6]

@@micheleramos5689 yep. No internet or cell service there now. Water has receded.