“It Was Like Fleeing a War Zone!”

When Hurricane Helene tore through Swannanoa, North Carolina, Hannah and Thomas Gibson awoke to a nightmare.

"I walked outside and literally 150-year-old oak trees were just dropping on top of each other all around our house,” Thomas told us. “So I told Hannah, my wife, ‘We've got to get out of here.’"

"We're running through the field,” added Hannah. “There's just rain pouring down, wind almost blowing you backwards. All the kids are just sobbing and we're holding them. And I mean, it just felt like we were fleeing a war zone." 

The Gibson’s returned. They were surrounded by fallen trees and debris and their power was out.  With damage all around, they faced an enormous cleanup along with the emotional toll that came with it. “That initial energy only lasted so long,” recalled Thomas. “And then pretty quickly, I just started getting drained and drained and drained because there's only so much you can do by yourself.”    

That’s when Operation Blessing stepped in bringing volunteers, equipment, and most of all, hope. "It was a little overwhelming to turn in the driveway and see 30 people there... to actually have all these people that we don't know come to our house and work, it's incredible,” declared Hannah.

Volunteer teams cleared trees, removed debris, and brought a degree of relief to a family exhausted by the challenges they had faced.  “It's amazing. I'm not much of a crier but I wanted to cry,” said the emotional Thomas.  Thanks to you, the Gibsons are on the road to recovery.  

“I mean, it makes me want to go help other people because it really matters,” said Hannah. “What they're doing really matters.” 

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