MONROE, N.C. — When WCNC Charlotte first interviewed Laura Shelton last Tuesday, she was headed to the airport.
Shelton booked a one-way flight from Houston to Charlotte. She planned to eventually make her way west to her hometown of Burnsville and reunite with family members she hadn't heard from since Helene hit the Carolinas.
"I haven't heard their voices, but I got a text message on my way home yesterday," she said last week. "I just started bawling."
Those tears were replaced by a big smile when she reunited with her mother and grandparents in person the next day.
"I was prepared to go up on the mountain if I needed to help hike them down or whatever," Shelton said. "But luckily, they were airlifted out. So, mamaw and pawpaw rode in a helicopter."
Shelton's mother and other survivors were rescued by first responders on ATVs. Eventually, her entire family made it to a friend's home nearby.
"My mamaw was standing out on the porch and I could see her," Shelton recalled. "I just ran up to her and I just started sobbing. And pawpaw came out and we hugged and hugged."
For now, they're in Monroe as they work to figure out their next steps. The family's home and community were damaged by landslides after Helene.
"The mountain came apart. I'm anxious to see it," Shelton said. "Also, there were dead bodies there of our neighbors and our loved ones."
While she admits going back home makes her nervous, Shelton said she has faith in the future.
"We are going to rebuild," she declared. "We are a strong community. Appalachia and the small towns are no stranger to hardship. We come together, but this is so big. We can't do it alone, we really need help."
Shelton said the family plans to return to Burnsville this week to meet with FEMA officials. Gov. Roy Cooper said tens of thousands of people have applied for federal aid since the storm and encouraged anyone impacted by the storm to apply with FEMA as soon as possible.