Military heroes turn disaster zone into mission of hope in North Carolina
A devastating hurricane left Western North Carolina in ruins this fall. Ex-military personnel stepped in with their unique skills to lead recovery work showing how veterans find new purpose in helping others
Early november brought catastrophic destruction to Western North Carolina when hurricane helene hit the region leaving 96 dead and many missing in its wake. The storm-ravaged mountains showed un-ending scenes of devastation that stretched for miles
The tight-knit appalachian communities (known for their self-reliance and neighborly spirit) faced overwhelming challenges; however help arrived from an unexpected source. Ex-military personnel became the back-bone of relief operations
This is what we do when we go to war We go into bad scenarios with towns turned upside down; the only difference is weʼre not getting shot at here which makes it a thousand times easier
The Christian Rangers group - named after a green beret training exercise includes many former special forces members Their mission: teaching locals recovery and self-sustaining skills. Mark Elkhill and his team spend days cutting fire-wood helping communities prepare for winter
At a relief center in Swannanoa Steve Santos - an air-force special tactics operator with 17-years experience works side-by-side with his father Errol Santos a former NYPD detective and 9-11 responder. The father-son duo handles various tasks:
- Clean-up operations
- Logistics management
- Search missions with cadaver dogs
- Community support coordination
Its coded into me to be a servant I cant just sit by when someone is in need
Many veterans find new meaning here - the disaster zone becomes their new mission field where military skills meet humanitarian needs The shared language of service creates an effective response team: giving orders taking action and working towards common goals
