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Call Nagle & Associates for Hit-and-Run Accident Compensation in North Carolina Compensation Claims
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Former Insurance AdjusterOVER $700,000,000 IN SETTLEMENTS FOR CLIENTS

Hit And Run Accident Injury Attorneys in Asheville, NC

Hit-and-run accidents in North Carolina happen when you least expect them to. Then, out of nowhere, a negligent motorist slams into the back of your car at a red light. It takes you a few minutes to get your wits back - your head hurts, and it feels like you may have some broken bones. As you begin to look around for the person who hit you, you realize they've whipped their car around yours and are fleeing the scene.

You immediately begin to ask yourself questions like:

  • Will the hit-and-run driver pay for my medical bills?
  • Will the hit-and-run driver pay for the damage to my vehicle?
  • Am I going to have to take time off work to recover?
  • How will I be able to pay my bills and support my family if I'm recovering and not able to work?
  • How do I collect tax-free injury compensation from multiple Uninsured Motorist policies?

After a traumatic experience like a hit-and-run accident, trying to solve these problems on your own is extremely difficult. To make matters worse, you're getting calls from insurance companies who willingly throw hurdles in your way to try and minimize any compensation you're owed. Facing these challenges is difficult for any person, not to mention someone recovering from crash-related injury. The truth is you shouldn't have to face these uncertain times alone. At Nagle & Associates, our hit and run accident attorneys in Asheville, NC are ready to stand by your side, protect and enforce your rights, and help secure maximum tax-free payment for your hit-and-run injury claims.

Hit and Run Accident
Reliable Hit-and-Run

Nagle & Associates: A Team of Reliable Hit-and-Run Lawyers You Can Trust

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a hit-and-run incident, your best course of action is to consult with a lawyer as soon as possible. Insurance adjusters are being paid to minimize your claims, and you should not take legal advice from any claims adjuster. At Nagle & Associates, our lawyers perform a thorough investigation into your situation, striving to locate all available insurance coverage, and to collect the highest settlement for your hit-and-run injury claims. We will guide you on how to secure medical care, how to use personal health insurance to fund medical needs and still collect for your medical bills from car insurance policies, and how to push the insurance adjusters to pay maximum value for your accident claims. Our firm ONLY handles motor vehicle injury claims, we know what your case is truly worth, and we will not settle until you are paid every penny you deserve.

At the end of the day, our goal is to provide comprehensive assistance - not just with filing a claim and negotiating with insurance companies, but with compassion, support, and unflinching advocacy. From day one, we are by your side during your medical recovery. After all, recovering from a hit-and-run accident in North Carolina is about more than getting money. It's about having full access to proper medical care, maximizing benefits from health insurance and other payment sources, handling all insurance claim filings and homework so you don't have to, and building the strongest case to collect maximum payment for your accident claims. By helping you get through the medical recovery and legal process, we hope to get you back to living a normal life and enjoying normal activities with friends and family, like visiting Carrier Park near Asheville, NC.

Is Consulting with a Hit and Run Accident Attorney in Asheville, NC Really Necessary?

Simply put, hit-and-run lawyers - especially those from Nagle & Associates - have the experience and resources needed to help crash victims like yourself get the compensation they need to get better.

What most folks don't realize is that insurance companies have a dedicated team of adjusters and lawyers focused on safeguarding the company's money. Their legal teams will go to great lengths to minimize or avoid paying hit-and-run car wreck claims altogether. When they do extend a settlement offer, it's often a fraction of what you deserve. Insurance companies won't help you uncover reasons to justify a higher payout; instead, their goal is to settle valid claims for significantly less than what is actually owed. Former claims adjuster Carl Nagle knows the strategies that adjusters use, and he stands ready to apply legal pressure to motivate the insurance company to pay the full value of your hit-and-run injury claims.

Depending on the facts of your case, your lawyer may seek compensation in one or more of the following forms:

  • Pain & Suffering
  • Current and Future Medical Bills
  • Loss of Wages
  • Loss of Benefits
  • Permanent Injury or Disability
  • Damages to Your Personal Property
Consulting Accident Attorney
Associates Difference

What Our Clients Say

The Nagle & Associates Difference

When you want a delicious breakfast prepared fresh to get your day started right, you don't go to a fast-food establishment and expect to be impressed. You choose a breakfast specialty restaurant like Bouchon in Asheville, NC. Similarly, when you're looking for a driven, dedicated hit-and-run accident lawyer who provides personalized representation for your unique case, you don't choose an untested law firm. You consult with a team like Nagle & Associates, which only represents victims involved in auto accidents. We are North Carolina's only pure motor vehicle accident injury law firm!

Difference Hit-Run-Accident
Experience

Experience Matters in North Carolina Hit-and-Run Accidents

What distinguishes Nagle & Associates from other law firms that handle hit-and-run car accidents is our extensive experience. Our founding attorney, Carl Nagle, is a former insurance adjuster who spent years in Atlanta managing claims related to car, motorcycle, and truck accidents. He was trained to win over victims while minimizing legitimate claims to limit payouts. This insurance-industry experience has given him a deep understanding of the unethical tactics insurance companies often employ in hit-and-run cases.

After completing law school, Carl worked in Atlanta at an insurance defense firm, representing various local and national insurers. His dual experience as a claims adjuster and insurance defense attorney has equipped him with insight into the strategies that insurance companies use to reduce compensation for victims. Upon leaving the insurance sector, Carl moved to North Carolina, committing himself to helping victims of road accidents. He cut all ties with defense work and insurance firms. Today, he is a highly sought-after attorney exclusively representing those affected by roadway collisions and hit-and-run accidents.

Reduced

Reduced Fee Structure for Hit-and-Run Accident Victims

Our attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid once your case is settled or the trial is completed and we collect money for you. Most cases are settled without needing to file lawsuits or engage the court system, which aligns our interests with yours and motivates us to secure the highest possible value for your injury claims. Whether your case ends in a settlement or goes to trial, you will benefit from a lower overall fee structure at Nagle & Associates.

While other personal injury law firms charge a third of the settlement (33.3%) and 40-44% of any funds obtained after a lawsuit is initiated, our firm takes a more client-oriented approach. We charge only 25% of the settlement and one-third (33.3%) of any amount collected if a lawsuit must be filed. The vast majority of our cases settle, with no court involvement. We only pursue litigation when insurers deny reasonable compensation, and we only file suit if we are confident that this will lead to a better financial outcome for our clients.

Hit-Accident

Hit-and-Run Wrecks in North Carolina Are a Major Problem

If there's one thing a hit and run attorney in Asheville, NC will tell you, it's that these crashes are horrible, unnecessary, and negligent. They're also rather common. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reported a total of 247,214 car accidents across the state in 2020. Among these incidents, 105,382 individuals sustained injuries, and unfortunately, 1,658 people died as a result of their accident. While we don't have precise figures on the number of hit-and-run cases that occur each year in North Carolina, it's clear that these incidents happen frequently and often result in serious and life-altering injuries.

Some of those injuries include:

  • Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Severe Punctures and Lacerations
  • Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Dislocated and Broken Bones
  • Concussions
  • Burn Injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Shoulder & Back Injuries
  • Wrongful Death

Every one of the injuries listed above requires medical care and often necessitates time at Arbor Terrace Asheville near Asheville, NC. The fallout from hit-and-run crashes includes serious and lasting injuries, missed work and wages, medical bills, property damage, and emotional distress.

Hit-and-Run Wrecks

Who is to Blame in North Carolina Hit and Run Accidents?

In North Carolina, hit-and-run accidents pose unique financial recovery challenges, especially since these incidents often involve a negligent driver who has already left the scene. Unlike typical vehicle collisions where the responsible party is present, the absence of the hit-and-run driver complicates matters significantly.

Negligent drivers flee for many different reasons. Often, they flee in an effort to avoid further legal trouble. Sadly, many times, the offending driver remains unidentified, which raises an important question: Who will cover your expenses following a hit-and-run accident in North Carolina?

Fortunately, North Carolina law requires all drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage. This rule means that if you're involved in a hit-and-run incident, it's treated similarly to an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. In such cases, you can turn to your own personal insurance policy to seek compensation for the expenses stemming from the crash.

Though your insurance coverage may be different from other victim's insurance, minimum uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage in North Carolina is currently as follows:

  • $30K for Bodily Injury Liability Per Person, Per Accident
  • $60K for Bodily Injury Liability Total For All Victims Per Accident

For all policies issued after July 1, 2025, the coverage limits increase to:

  • $50K for Bodily Injury Liability Per Person, Per Accident
  • $100K for Bodily Injury Liability Total For All Victims Per Accident

If you've been in a hit-and-run accident in North Carolina, don't think that your insurance company will write a proverbial blank check to cover all expenses. Just like in any other traffic collision where the other driver remains at the scene, the insurance company will require clear evidence that another driver—although they may have fled—was responsible for the collision. If they can place just slight blame with you, even just 1% responsibility for the accident, they owe nothing and can deny all claims. Simply put, the insurance adjuster will not just take your word for it. They investigate the crash and seek to place partial blame on the victim, knowing that North Carolina's pure contributory negligence law allows them to refuse payment if you are just 1% at fault for the crash. That's where a hit and run accident attorney in Asheville, NC from Nagle & Associates steps in to help.

Our team of lawyers focuses exclusively on auto accidents, which allows us to manage such cases with a unique, personalized approach. We currently have two retired North Carolina State Troopers on staff, we have several crash reconstruction engineers available, and we will investigate your collision and collect evidence to show you did nothing wrong. We also know how to access multiple insurance policies, how to build the strongest medical evidence, and how to compel all involved insurance carriers to offer maximum payment for your injuries and suffering.

Property Damage Liability
No Contact Rule

Understanding North Carolina's "No Contact Rule"

In North Carolina, there's a “No Contact Rule,” which means that for a hit-and-run claim related to Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage to be considered, there must be actual contact between the claimant's vehicle and the vehicle that fled the scene. For example, if an aggressive driver caused you to lose control and crash without ever physically hitting your vehicle, you wouldn't be able to file a claim with your UM insurance to cover your injury claims.

This law exists to curb fraudulent claims against insurance companies. It's unfortunately easy for someone to claim they were forced off the road by another driver after a crash. Therefore, gathering and preserving evidence that proves the hit-and-run driver actually made contact with your vehicle is crucial. If there is no contact, the incident is labeled a “phantom vehicle crash,” leaving you without coverage for medical bills, lost wages, or any other financial losses related to the injury.

No Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Hit and Run Car Damage

In North Carolina, Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage covers injuries arising from hit-and-run crashes, but not property damage. Thus, if a hit-and-run driver hits your car and leaves the scene, you must use your collision coverage to pay for the repairs or replacement of your vehicle. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) coverage applies only if your accident was caused by an uninsured driver who is identified.

No Uninsured Motorist

Top Evidence to Share with Your Hit and Run Accident Attorney in Asheville, NC

Being in a Asheville, NC area hit-and-run accident can be highly stressful and disorienting. However, it's very important to collect the right evidence after the incident, as this can help strengthen your insurance claim and support any legal action you may decide to take. If you find yourself involved in a hit-and-run crash in North Carolina, here's what you should know about gathering the necessary evidence to bolster your case.

Video and photo evidence is one of the most powerful and crucial pieces of evidence you can collect. If you're not seriously injured and you're able to do so, consider taking pictures and videos of the following:

  • Damage to your vehicle, including wide shots for context and close-up shots for detail
  • Views of the accident scene from several angles
  • Debris, skid marks, and any physical evidence you see at the scene

If you can, consider recording a video to document the area around you. Nearby surveillance cameras or dashcams from passing vehicles might also provide useful footage. It may also be wise to ask local businesses or neighbors if their cameras captured the incident.

If you sustained injuries in the hit-and-run collision, your medical records are essential for your claim. Get medical assistance right away, even if you think you're okay at first—some injuries, like whiplash or internal damage, might not be visible right away. Getting your medical records and sharing them with your personal injury lawyer can help:

  • Estimate costs associated with your current or future medical treatments
  • Create a documented connection between your hit-and-run accident and the injuries you sustained

If you're having trouble accessing your medical records, your hit-and-run accident lawyer may be able to help. Always consult with your attorney if you have questions or are having trouble obtaining evidence.

You should contact law enforcement as soon as you're physically able after your hit-and-run wreck. Once police arrive on the scene, authorities should create a police report for you to sign. This creates an official account of your car accident. Your police report should include the following:

  • Witness statements and statements from any parties involved in your accident
  • Details of your hit-and-run accident, including the location where it happened, the time it happened, and the weather conditions present.
  • The reporting officer's initial assessment of the crime scene

When you're involved in a hit-and-run incident, obtaining a police report is usually required to submit an insurance claim. Make sure to give the police as many details as you can, and don't forget to ask for a copy of the report for your own records.

Fortunately, most injuries heal over time and we are able to restore our health and physical ability. Insurance companies know this, and they hope you fail to preserve evidence of how your injuries appear shortly after an accident. It is wise to take photos of visible injuries so you are able to prove to insurance companies and/or a jury how badly you were hurt, and how your injuries appeared during the early stages of your recovery.

Getting Compensation for a Hit-and-Run Accident Begins at Nagle & Associates

If you've been involved in a hit-and-run accident, please reach out to Nagle & Associates today. We offer a free, confidential consultation to discuss your case, answer any questions you might have, outline the best legal steps to take, and help you determine whether hiring a hit-and-run accident attorney in Asheville, NC is the right move for your family.

Remember - in North Carolina, there's a statute of limitations on filing a personal injury claim. You only have three years from the date of your hit-and-run accident to file suit and properly commence litigation against all responsible parties. You should never wait years to take action. Frankly, you should act immediately to protect and enforce your legal rights. Hiring a lawyer early shows the insurance companies that you intend to pursue all legal claims, that you have legal guidance on the true value of your case, and legal leverage to make them pay a settlement that reflects what you would in court. If they don't, we will go to court with you, win your case, and make them pay you PLUS pay pre-judgment interest PLUS pay court costs and litigation expenses PLUS also for a lawyer to defend the insurance company in court. Simply put, we know what your case is worth, and we can show the insurance company that paying you that amount is their best option.

We have the lowest hit-and-run injury legal fee in North Carolina, you pay nothing up front to put us to work today, and we are here now to offer a free legal consultation by phone. Contact our law office now and take the first step toward recovery.

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Latest News in Asheville, NC

Storm headed to WNC: What to know about the possibility of flooding, more

Iris Seatonhttps://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/12/10/will-it-flood-in-asheville-western-nc-during-dec-10-storm-forecast/76889854007/

With a storm headed toward Western North Carolina, many residents may be remembering the destructive effects Tropical Storm Helene had on the region in late September.The good news, according to the National Weather Service, is that while the storm will certainly sweep through Asheville and the WNC region, it will be nowhere near the scale of Helene.Here's what meteorologists said.Hazardous weather outlook in Asheville, WNCA weather alert issued by the NWS at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, warned tha...

With a storm headed toward Western North Carolina, many residents may be remembering the destructive effects Tropical Storm Helene had on the region in late September.

The good news, according to the National Weather Service, is that while the storm will certainly sweep through Asheville and the WNC region, it will be nowhere near the scale of Helene.

Here's what meteorologists said.

Hazardous weather outlook in Asheville, WNC

A weather alert issued by the NWS at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, warned that a storm system is moving into the area with multiple rounds of showers and possible thunderstorms. Locally excessive rainfall from heavy showers moving over the same locations may result in isolated flooding.

While gusty winds are a possibility, these conditions are most likely after the storm has passed on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

More:Asheville-area water lead test results are in for 159 private homes: What to know

How much rain will Asheville, WNC get?

The NWS expects Asheville to see roughly 1.5 inches of rain from the storm, according to NWS Meteorologist Chris Horne. Amounts will vary across nearby areas, with potentially closer to 2.25-2.5 inches toward Skyland and Fletcher, and 2.5 inches near Fairview and Bat Cave.

"Across Buncombe County in general, there's going to be kind of a gradient," Horne said. "It's going to bring more in the South, like towards the airport and east toward Fairview area and Swannanoa, but less the further northwest you get in the county, like up toward Canto or Weaverville."

Will it flood in Asheville, WNC?

Luckily for WNC, no serious flooding is expected due to the incoming storm. Some isolated flooding is possible, as indicated by the hazardous weather outlook, but Horne said that river overflow shouldn't be an issue.

"There's certainly going to be some kind of concern about flooding of low-lying areas," Horne said. "Right now, our French Broad and Swannanoa river forecasts are for it to remain below flood stage. So, you know, there's going to be areas of high water, perhaps some drainage issues here and there, but you know, nowhere even near the magnitude of what happened two and a half months ago."

Will there be more landslides?

Landslides aren't an NWS area of expertise. However, Horne was able to say that, while the amount of rain the region will see isn't generally enough to cause concern, areas already weakened by Helene should be monitored.

"Any kind of heavy rain can disturb already-disturbed soil, even though the magnitude of rain is typically far less than what we would expect for any landslides that occur," Horne said. "But just off the top of my head, given the past history of all the numerous landslides, I bet you there's going to be a little more susceptibility for them to kind of move again."

There were over 2,000 landslides in the WNC region caused by Helene and the storm's predecessor rainfall event.

When will the storm end?

After tonight, Dec. 10, the hazardous weather outlook issued by the NWS will end. Any showers on Wednesday, Dec. 11, are forecast to occur mainly before 9 a.m., with some patchy fog before noon.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].

How to bring holiday cheer to Western NC children

Lindsey Bankshttps://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/how-to-bring-holiday-cheer-to-western

You’re reading Mountain Updates, a free pop-up newsletter from The Charlotte Ledger examining the crisis and recovery in the N.C. mountains. Ledger subscribers can add Mountain Updates on their “My Account” page.Sign up for free:...

You’re reading Mountain Updates, a free pop-up newsletter from The Charlotte Ledger examining the crisis and recovery in the N.C. mountains. Ledger subscribers can add Mountain Updates on their “My Account” page.

Sign up for free:

The Smoky Mountain Toy Run, which is an annual toy drive and motorcycle parade that started in 1981, was held last month to raise money and collect Christmas gifts for Asheville-based Eblen Charities’s Saint Nicholas Project. (Photo courtesy of Rey Castillo Jr.)

Last week, The Ledger shared a shopping guide to Western North Carolina businesses during this holiday season. (If you’re looking for unique gifts that double as support for the mountain economy, check it out here.)

There’s also the “Potters Market” happening Dec. 14 in Charlotte at the Park Expo and Conference Center. Handcrafted pottery from more than 30 Western North Carolina artists will be for sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sounds like the perfect place to shop for a gift and support local artists affected by the storm.

This season, I’ve also been thinking about the children who have been affected or displaced by Tropical Storm Helene. Hundreds of families lost so much, and this holiday might look different for many.

Christmas is just a few weeks away, so some initiatives have already closed their windows for donations, but I’ve rounded up a few ways you can still help families fill their kids’ stockings and provide gifts under the tree:

Here are the latest updates from Western North Carolina:

Lindsey Banks, a native of the Buncombe County town of Swannanoa, is a staff reporter with The Charlotte Ledger. Reach her at [email protected].

How to help

Many organizations have deployed groups across the region, tasked with distributing food, water and supplies. You can donate to their efforts at the links below.

Need to sign up for this e-newsletter? We offer a free version, as well as paid memberships for full access to all of our local newsletters:

➡️ Opt in or out of different newsletters on your “My Account” page.

➡️ Learn more about The Charlotte Ledger

The Charlotte Ledger is a locally owned media company that delivers smart and essential news through e-newsletters and on a website. We strive for fairness and accuracy and will correct all known errors. The content reflects the independent editorial judgment of The Charlotte Ledger. Any advertising, paid marketing, or sponsored content will be clearly labeled.

Like what we are doing? Feel free to forward this along and to tell a friend.

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Sponsorship information/customer service: email [email protected].

Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman

Where housing needs are huge after Helene’s wrath, tiny cabins offer shelter in NC

Nora O’Neillhttps://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article295947769.html

READ MOREHurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.Expand AllAfter Helene’s rains struck, Thomas Whiteside and his grandson watched a creek near their Black Mountain house rise hundreds of feet in minutes. Had they waited to evacuate, they would have been trapped inside when water rea...

READ MORE

Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.

Expand All

After Helene’s rains struck, Thomas Whiteside and his grandson watched a creek near their Black Mountain house rise hundreds of feet in minutes. Had they waited to evacuate, they would have been trapped inside when water reached the windows.

Weeks later, Whiteside received a free, temporary shelter on his property from Cabins 4 Christ, a group created to help some of the many people made homeless by Helene. This past week, he received even more news: The group will rebuild his roof for him, free of charge.

In his 51 years of living in Black Mountain, Whiteside never expected a storm as bad as Helene, he said. He also didn’t expect the community’s response to the damage to be so strong.

“I’m 67 years old. I’ve been retired for 20 years, medically retired, and sometimes you just feel like you don’t get the help you need. But during this mess, honey, I’ve got more help than I can shake a stick at,” he said.

Helene’s floods and mudslides damaged at least 100,000 homes in Western North Carolina, according to a state count. As of this week, FEMA has committed over $52 million in displacement assistance and more than 5,300 families are currently checked into hotels.

The momentous task of repairing and rebuilding could take years as owners navigate government aid, securing insurance payouts, obtaining building permits and the rest.

Seeing this reality, many nonprofits stepped in to help, with everything from knocking on doors to offering free, immediate repairs to driving caravans of campers to hard-hit areas where displaced residents have been living in tents.

Devin Taylor is the founder of Campers Care, a disaster-relief ministry based in Virginia. He and his wife Julie started Cabins 4 Christ to provide temporary shelter in the wake of Helene’s devastation.

The group’s mini homes are 8 x 16 foot shed-like structures. They have no running water, no kitchen and no electricity, but come stocked with a composting toilet, storage space, supplies like water and a small cooking stove, a mattress and occasionally solar panels, Taylor said.

The sheds also have insulation and an extra layer of plywood to keep them warmer, he said, and both individuals and families continue to sleep in them as winter nears.

The group routinely checks on people given the cabins to ensure they have enough supplies including propane for cooking and heat, blankets and food.

“We don’t just give them something and say, ‘Here you go, sink or swim,’” Taylor said. “We actually have a team of people that go back out and check on their needs, especially the elderly this time of year.”

Whiteside was the first to receive a cabin from Cabins 4 Christ, but the group has homed 141 families or individuals in over 90 cabins built by the group and in donated campers and trailers it received, Taylor said.

The group usually draws around 100 to 125 volunteers a day to Camp Cedar Cliff outside Asheville to build the cabins, manage donations, and repair homes in the area, he said.

On Nov. 25, volunteers from across the country, some individuals and others whole families with children, worked on the grounds of the Christian-oriented camp’s welcome pavilion, which now looks more like a construction site than camp site.

People drove from Colorado to donate a camper and from Texas to help cook for volunteers. Some materials have been driven in from as far away as New Mexico, he said.

“Some stay a day or two, some stay longer,” Taylor said. “I’ve got people here that’ve been here since day one, from as far away as California, and sleeping in their cars.”

Each morning starts with a huddle where volunteers receive hot food and beverages before they get to work hammering, sorting donations, delivering cabins or traveling to nearby homes to make repairs.

Whiteside, whose home was too badly damaged to reoccupy, was connected to Cabins 4 Christ by his daughter, who suggested he reach out and ask for help.

He lived in his cabin for around a month before he received a Nomad camper trailer with a bathroom, furnace and bed gifted by another group in early November. He still likes to sleep in the cabin, in a recliner that helps his back pain.

The cabin is a “Godsend,” Whiteside said. It has allowed him to stay on his property and keep watch of his car and damaged home. Most importantly, it was a safe roof over his head.

Once his roof is repaired and his home is safe to move back into, his older sister who also lost her home to floods in Swannanoa will move in with him.

“The Lord is opening his doors, and the Lord’s inviting anybody to walk in who wants to, and Devin is standing there right now with him holding the door,” he said.

Helene’s destruction took down cell phone service across western North Carolina counties hit hard by the historic storm. Shortly after that, FEMA staff flew to Camp Cedar Cliff via helicopter and set up a temporary communications tower to help with rescue efforts, said camp director Tim Brady.

The portable tower trailer had a 40-foot tall extending antenna and was up for three days, he said.

After that, the camp hosted 200 Duke Energy lineworkers in cabins while they worked to restore power in hard-hit Asheville and the Swannanoa Valley.

The camp was damaged by the storm, Brady said, but surrounding areas were hit much worse, he eventually saw.

“The whole time I was thinking, ‘this is awful, we’ve been hit so hard. You know, what a story this is going to be to tell people how bad this was,’” he said. “When we finally got to the front gate and were able to get a vehicle out of camp, we realized we were blessed because of the loss of life right outside of our gate.”

A human resources director from Buncombe County Public Schools called Brady in mid-October, he said, and asked if the camp would be willing to host a new organization called Cabins 4 Christ. It needed a place to build cabins for 30 teachers.

From there, they just kept building.

As the need for emergency housing wanes, Cabins 4 Christ is pivoting to helping people repair and rebuild their permanent residences, Taylor said.

During Thanksgiving week, Cabins 4 Christ volunteers were dispatched not far down Old U.S. Highway 70 in Swannanoa to the home of a woman expected to give birth on Dec. 5.

One volunteer was Michael Barry-Rec, a builder from Virginia there to help Cabins 4 Christ for a week.

The homeowner was pregnant and stuck in the home when it flooded up to the window, Barry-Rec said. The group was hustling to have her house livable by the time the baby comes.

“The devastation breaks my heart, but the people that have risen and have come down to help offsets that despair. It really is something to be part of and witness,” he said.

But the work isn’t always easy or free of complications. Relying on donations means that construction materials may not be compliant with building codes and regulations. In one case volunteers couldn’t use donated insulation for a home that didn’t have insulation before Helene because it wasn’t the right grade.

With so much demand, it takes time to land needed inspections while trying to get people back into their homes as quickly as possible, especially because some families resorted living in tents after the storm.

One reason Cabins 4 Christ hasn’t installed electricity or plumbing in its sheds is because it would be too difficult to comply with state building codes, Taylor said.

“We build them the way that we do so that we could be good partners, not only with our ministry partners, but also good partners with our local government,” he said.

Despite so many challenges, it’s been inspiring to see the community come together and help each other amid tragedy, Brady said. He’s especially proud of religious groups.

“It’s too soon to say, ‘here’s the silver linings,’ because there’s no silver linings in clear view yet,” he said, yet: “Churches and the faith-based organizations like ourselves… have just shut down and said there’s nothing more important than meeting the needs of our community.”

This story was originally published December 4, 2024, 5:30 AM.

Follow more of our reporting on Helene in North Carolina

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December 10, 2024 6:00 AM

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10+ Ways To Celebrate Christmas In Asheville, NC

Kidding Around Teamhttps://kiddingaroundgreenville.com/christmas-in-asheville

If you are planning a festive day trip, then Christmas in Asheville, NC will check off all the boxes on your itinerary. Asheville, North Carolina offers a variety of things to do for the holidays, from Christmas lights to gingerbread houses, holiday shopping, parades, and more.We’ve got a list of kid-friendly holiday events to do in Asheville, NC, and all the details you’ll need to plan your visit.Christmas in Asheville, NCAsheville is still recovering from the massive damage wrecked b...

If you are planning a festive day trip, then Christmas in Asheville, NC will check off all the boxes on your itinerary. Asheville, North Carolina offers a variety of things to do for the holidays, from Christmas lights to gingerbread houses, holiday shopping, parades, and more.

We’ve got a list of kid-friendly holiday events to do in Asheville, NC, and all the details you’ll need to plan your visit.

Christmas in Asheville, NC

Asheville is still recovering from the massive damage wrecked by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Many places are opening back, which means Christmas is a great time to support local businesses there and help them get back on their feet.

I never need much of a reason to visit Asheville. I love the view of the mountains in the background while walking around downtown. There is always live music by musicians outside and all the shops welcome you with a smile. There are a variety of different restaurants and historical landmarks to visit within walking distance or just a small drive away.

Plus, with the gorgeous backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, maybe you’re family will get a magical snowy adventure while you celebrate the holiday season in Asheville.

If you’re looking for Asheville, NC things to do, Christmas is one of the best times to find them!

Get in the holiday spirit by joining the Holiday Jamboree in Downtown Asheville. Everyone gathers together to welcome the beginning of the holiday season.

The Asheville Holiday JamboreeNovember 23rd, 2024 | 11 AM to 5 PMInstead of a parade this year, Asheville will host a Holiday Jamboree with music, a holiday market, and Santa photos.

The Grove Arcade Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony is the place to be the weekend after Thanksgiving. You can also explore the decorated Christmas trees throughout December at the Monte Vista Hotel.

While the National Gingerbread House Competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn is not happening for 2024, the Sugar & Spice Stroll is! The sugary houses will be on display at several local businesses, which you can see on this map.

Of course, one of the most popular places in Asheville to visit during the holidays is the Biltmore House. Known for its elegant displays of holiday decor, infamous Candlelight Tours, and a multitude of festivities, Christmas at the Biltmore is a must.

You’ll find over 55 Christmas trees throughout the grounds and a variety of activities for kids such as crafts and carriage rides. Nothing says Christmas like a magical carriage ride. They even have an entire greenhouse full of poinsettia plants and Antler Hill Village is illuminated with trees lined with lights.

Most of the restaurants offer a children’s menu, such as the Bistro (Farm-to-table fare), and Deerpark Restaurant (a southern-inspired buffet).

Winter Lights

When it comes to visiting Asheville for the holidays, you can’t leave without experiencing the Winter Lights at The NC Arboretum. This magical event features over half a million LED lights and walks you through stunning gardens and unique landscapes. This event is great for the entire family – there’s even have a hot cocoa shack.

Lake Julian Lights

The annual Lake Julian Festival of Lights is at Lake Julian Park and is a quicker drive-through light display that benefits the Buncombe County Special Olympics. Lights include animated and stationary light displays. Tickets are $10 – $50 per car/bus. Walk through lights are December 1st-2nd from 6-8 pm is $5/person. The drive through lights are December 3rd-23rd. Address is 406 Overlook Road Ext., Arden, NC 28704.

Does your family want to chop down your own tree this year? Asheville has a variety of tree farms!

The Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm is known for its gorgeous rolling hills of Christmas trees. Trees are not the only things available at the farm, they also sell fresh wreaths, roping, and tree stand. It’s located at the foot of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains near Maggie Valley and Lake Junaluska and you can even stay the night in one of their cabins (dogs are welcome as long as they’re on a leash).

Please check with the farm before you head out to make sure they are open and have trees available. Most are only open on select days.

Asheville, NC Christmas Fun: Extra 204 Holiday Events

Rebuilding Asheville’s River Arts District, and western NC, brick by brick

Robert Spranklehttps://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/rebuilding-in-the-river-arts-district-takes-work-but-its-the-good-kind-of-work/

If you’ve lived in the mountains of western North Carolina, you notice a pattern: Tell someone from outside the region where you’re from, and their immediate reaction is, “Oh, that’s a beautiful city/region/part of the state.” Do we get tired of hearing it? Maybe a little, but certainly not because it’s untrue — it is beautiful out here, and I for one feel spoiled around this time of year to have the fall colors on the mountains as part of my daily scenery.In the past few weeks, you&r...

If you’ve lived in the mountains of western North Carolina, you notice a pattern: Tell someone from outside the region where you’re from, and their immediate reaction is, “Oh, that’s a beautiful city/region/part of the state.” Do we get tired of hearing it? Maybe a little, but certainly not because it’s untrue — it is beautiful out here, and I for one feel spoiled around this time of year to have the fall colors on the mountains as part of my daily scenery.

In the past few weeks, you’ve probably seen some very not-beautiful pictures of Asheville and the surrounding area. Hurricane Helene dumped 40 trillion gallons of rain on the southeast. To me, 40 trillion isn’t much more than a huge, abstract number that one can compare to the volume of Lake Tahoe, or 619 days of water over Niagara Falls. Unfortunately, there are some pictures (such as the before-and-after of Chimney Rock, North Carolina) that show you what that amount of rainfall really does, in a more visceral sense.

We were unprepared for Helene, but in the way that we might have been unprepared for a meteor. There was a chance of a catastrophe, but such a small chance that it made no practical sense to worry about. Living in fear is not what mountain folk do, especially not when we can do something about it. And while there were some scary early days, when everyone was still realizing just how bad the storm was, it was amazing to witness that uncertainty evaporating almost overnight into a strong sense of community.

I even felt it myself. As soon as my needs were met, once I had enough water and supplies to last a week and a half, my anxiety immediately gave way to restless energy, and I started looking for ways to volunteer in the areas that needed the most hands. Whether I “wanted” to, I can’t even remember. It just felt important and necessary, because I could. Asheville’s River Arts District was one of those areas hit especially hard, and as someone with close friends and family who make art for a living, it simply seemed like common sense for me to go and lend a hand at Riverview Station.

I had an idea of what kind of mess to expect. I had seen aerial pictures of the floodwaters spilling into second-floor studios on social media, read posts about decades’ worth of the artists’ works destroyed by the surging French Broad. We knew in advance that it’d be dangerous as well; working in any flooded building comes with its own set of risks, even apart from the tons of toxic mud in a calf-deep layer all over the work site.

There were moments where I still got overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction. My first day at Riverview Station, I had been on-site hauling mud-soaked debris for nearly an hour before I realized our “work site” was the remains of a huge parking lot, broken up and washed away by the sheer weight and force of the floodwaters. It had never occurred to me until then that a parking lot itself could be destroyed in a flood.

That didn’t stop me, or the dozens of volunteers that also showed up to work in the muck, and unlike me, many of the most dedicated volunteers were still without running water. Living in Arden, I at least had a hot shower to go back to, but now I know how to decontaminate, change clothes, and follow basic HAZMAT procedures entirely without running water (the key is to pack lots of trash bags and wet wipes). For all of us, we were just motivated by the fact that there was something that needed to be done, unambiguous and plain to see. There were no questions of what had to be done or why, just the task in front of us.

If you’ve ever seen the famous graphite-clearing scene from HBO’s Chernobyl, it felt much the same: I knew that it was a disaster situation, that these were not “normal” circumstances, and I had accepted the certain risks that came with it. I had a job to do, a basic understanding of the situation, and I thought I was ready to work… until I actually stepped into one of the studios.

There was a moment, like my realization with the parking lot, where I saw the contaminated mud inches deep on the ground, coating every possible surface and object around, and the only thought I had for a moment was, “Where the hell do I start?” But, like with clearing radioactive graphite, clearing toxic salvage started for me the same way as I start any difficult and tedious job: with what’s right in front of me. I take a piece, move it out, come back, grab another. If it’s too heavy, someone else will come over to help — often without being asked — and help me pitch it (safely) out of the building. Rinse, repeat, as many times as it took until the job was done.

And finishing even a small job, clearing a room or mucking out a hallway, gave this amazing sense of gratification for everyone around; even the tiniest visible sign of progress made us cheer, however tired we sounded.

Because progress is progress, even a little bit at a time. Slowly, a disaster site starts to resemble a cleanup site, which starts to resemble a construction site, as we piece together our new normal, brick by brick. Rebuilding Asheville and the rest of western North Carolina will continue to be a lot of work in the weeks and months to come. But as far as we volunteers are concerned, the work is that much easier, because the beautiful place we call home is worth the effort.

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