Hurricane Helene wrought historic devastation when it hit western North Carolina last September. Nearly 100 people were killed in the region and thousands were left injured, traumatized or homeless.
Hundreds of volunteers arrived within hours and began assisting with everything from food delivery to housing to medical care. Their presence was a godsend. But for many of the area’s medical professionals, the crisis underscored their own advantage: They knew the place, the people, the culture.
