DAMASCUS, Va. — A Charlotte woman is using her positive perspective to help her get through this tough time.
“My mom’s alive, and that’s all that matters,” Nikki Wolfe stated. “And everything else, we’ll figure out.”
Dee Wolfe, Nikki’s mom, lives in Damascus, Virginia, a small mountain town that sits along the Tennessee-Virginia border just a few hours away from Charlotte.
When Hurricane Helene hit the area, Dee Wolfe and her neighbors had to be rescued from their homes. Her house is the only one still standing in the neighborhood after the storm devastated that area.
Nikki Wolfe drove up from Charlotte, and they were able to go inside the house. But once they were there, the level of destruction really hit them.
“There was so much mud and sludge and what not from the flood waters inside the house, they couldn’t get the door open,” Nikki Wolfe shared.
Nikki Wolfe said anything that was sitting on the floor and within a few feet from the floor was damaged by water.
“The house is a total loss," Nikki Wolfe said. "You know, it’s not fair for anyone to have to start their life over or go through something like this, but when you’re 84, you shouldn’t have to worry about this."
Nikki Wolfe fought tears back as she described the impact Helene had on her mom’s life.
“I’m going to be honest, my mom didn’t have a lot, but it was her stuff, and it was stuff that meant a lot to her,” Nikki Wolfe shared as tears rolled down her cheeks.
While it’s an emotional time for both herself and her mother, Nikki Wolfe also said there’s perspective in all of this.
“We are just very, very grateful,” she said as she smiled. “We just think about all of these people and all of these towns, and our hearts just go out to them.’
Nikki Wolfe said, right now, they are leaning on their faith to persevere through this.
“This is hard obviously, but I have no doubt that this is something that we can get through, and that she can get through," Nikki Wolfe reassured WCNC Charlotte anchor Nick Sturdivant. "She’s a woman of very strong faith."
Nikki Wolfe said her mom is staying with a family friend as they work to figure out what’s next. They are raising money to help her mom get back on her feet.
Contact Nick Sturdivant at nsturdiva1@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.