WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — John Isaac thought his house was safe from Helene's flooding. He also thought he and his wife were safe near the mountaintop in Cove Creek.
Then the mudslide came.
"This is once in a lifetime. I'm hoping it's once in a lifetime," he said. "If it hadn't been for this barn, it would have taken our house out."
Not only did the storm take out his barn and garage, but it also took out the only road in and out of the property.
"We'd been here for five days," Isaac said. "Could not get out. Couldn't get anybody in."
He didn't know how long they'd be stuck. That's when Cody Critcher and his team found them.
"Once we realized it was more flooding than wind damage, we decided to ride road names that were creeks or places we knew with creeks," Critcher said.
Critcher is the co-owner of Bigfoot Builders. Though they usually make homes, they've spent the last week helping to dig people out.
"It's what's necessary to sustain living in places," Critcher said. "Later, the question is, what has to be done to put stuff back."
Critcher is already thinking about what the community needs next, especially ahead of dropping temperatures. He started a GoFundMe to help keep up their work, which Isaac says is crucial for recovery.
"Think about if it was you or your family that was going through this," Isaac said. "They just need a little help. It's not a big thing, but a little help goes a long, long way."
Contact Julie Kay at juliekay@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.