Soldiers deliver meals, supplies and rescue cats on ‘life-changing’ Hurricane Helene mission

Soldiers arrived a week ago in North Carolina to help with the recovery from Hurricane Helene and are still reaching locations where residents are waiting for the first influx of resources and support since the storm.

Col. Sean Shields, who is leading roughly 1,400 troops from a headquarters in the town of Marion, said many of the roads that wind through the mountains in the western part of the state and connect small communities and homes to larger towns are impassible or need clearing. Soldiers have also cleared mud and debris from buildings such as police departments, fire stations and other community resources to get them back operating.

“When you see the devastating effects of flood waters and fast moving, high-velocity landslides coming down narrow valleys and mountains, it’s incredibly devastating,” he said on a call Thursday.