On Thursday, September 25th, our community gathered at Highland Brewing’s Meadow to reflect, remember, and honor the heroes who carried Western North Carolina through the darkest days of Hurricane Helene. One year after the storm, Heroes of Helene brought together neighbors, businesses, nonprofits, and leaders to celebrate the resilience that continues to define us.
Co-hosted by the Asheville Chamber, Explore Asheville, Highland Brewing, the City of Asheville, and Buncombe County, the evening featured music, local food, tributes, and a volunteer activity with Feed the Children sponsored by Bank of America. Our guests also enjoyed meals from six local food vendors and refreshments from Highland + Coca-Cola.
The heart of the evening was the recognition of those who stepped up when it mattered most: first responders, utility workers, healthcare professionals, nonprofits, food and shelter partners, and government employees who became lifelines for our region.
Voices from the Stage
- Graham Fields, AdventHealth: “Before one drop of rain fell, you already endured cold and hunger. Before the rivers rose, you already knew sacrifice. During Helene, we were in danger because of a storm; you were in danger because of a promise.”
- Trey Rabon, AT&T North Carolina: “That moment in Lake Lure, when our teams partnered with kayakers to transport fiber cables downriver, symbolizes what recovery in Western North Carolina has been all about: collaboration, creativity, and the refusal to let obstacles stand in the way.”
- Melina Arrowood, Mission Health: “What I witnessed was not just resilience, but humanity in its truest form, people sacrificing, improvising, and caring for one another in ways that words can barely capture.”
- David Dowd, Bank of America: “In many ways, nonprofits were our second wave of first responders. While public safety services protected us in the moment, nonprofits carried us through the long days and weeks of recovery.”
- Antanette Mosley, Vice Mayor of Asheville: “Resilience is not just about rebuilding roads and structures. It is about rebuilding lives. And you did that; one meal, one shelter, one act of kindness at a time.”
- Amanda Edwards, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners: “Our front-line responders were aided by government employees who were not first responders by title, but who stepped up to help and to communicate what they were seeing – always focused on safety and care for all.”
Chamber President & CEO Kit Cramer and Explore Asheville (BCTDA) CEO Vic Isley closed the program with a call to continue the work of resilience: “The story of Helene is still being written. We are all authors of resilience. Together, we’ll keep moving forward.”
This special event was made possible by the generous support of Bank of America, AT&T North Carolina, AdventHealth, Mission Health, Novant Health, Hopscotch Primary Care, Highland Brewing, Explore Asheville, City of Asheville, Buncombe County, Dogwood Health Trust, and many more community partners.
As we continue to recover and rebuild, may the spirit of the heroes of Helene guide us forward: stronger, more connected, and more resilient than ever.