When Wes Camp first bought his house in Glen Alpine鈥檚 River Glen subdivision in 2015, his insurance company told him he didn鈥檛 need flood insurance.
Neighbors warned him that the house, nestled on a cul-de-sac near a small creek that feeds into the Catawba River, had flooded before, but Camp said the insurance company told him it was at a low risk for flooding.
The only option to get flood insurance came in at more than $500 per month, Camp said.
Almost 10 years later, Camp now shares the house with his fianc茅e, Shanna Derrick, and their kids, 7-year-old Watson and 3-year-old Wilder. He had not had any problems with flooding. The family has built memories in the home, and Camp just spent a year renovating the kitchen. He was planning to renovate the bathroom next.
Wes Camp looks out the window of his living room. Flooding from Hurricane Helene forced Camp to rip out the drywall and insulation from his home in Glen Alpine.
But when Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina on Sept. 27, Camp was worried water would overtake the home. He checked on water levels every couple of hours, and at 7 a.m. left the home with the kids to wait in the lobby at UNC Health Blue Ridge where Derrick was working.
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The storm was over by the afternoon when Camp went to check on the house. Everything seemed fine at first, but while the skies were clearing, the water was rising 鈥 inching closer and closer to Camp鈥檚 home.
鈥淚t was really bizarre to see,鈥 Camp said.
He recalled throwing toys in the kids鈥 downstairs playroom on top of shelves, hoping it would save them from the water damage. Instead, the water climbed to the top story of the house. The only things that could be saved was anything left on the top shelves of the bedrooms above the garage, Camp said.
鈥(I was) kind of in disbelief, really,鈥 Camp said. 鈥淚 just never thought it would get that high. 鈥 I鈥檒l walk through the house and I鈥檓 at just a loss for words, really. All the memories and times I鈥檝e had with my family in here. The kids have known this house their whole life.鈥
Wes Camp stands in his now-bare living room after flooding from Hurricane Helene damaged his home in Glen Alpine.
The night of the storm, Camp鈥檚 family stayed in a hotel that was without power or water, like most everywhere else in AV短视频. Unable to move back into the waterlogged house, the family has since signed a short-term lease for a one-bedroom apartment while they try to get their house back together 鈥 a process Camp thinks will take months.
All of the drywall and insulation has been ripped out of the garage and main living area of the house. Most of the insulation and drywall has been ripped out of the bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level of the home.
Camp leaves windows open and fans blowing in an effort to dry out the home before he can get started on repairs. A contractor told him it would likely cost up to $100,000 to fix everything, but Camp hopes to do some of the work himself. He applied for some funding from FEMA and appealed the initial offer, so he鈥檚 waiting to find out how much help the organization can provide.
When Camp started removing the drywall and insulation in his home, he discovered this damage from a slow leak in either the roof or siding of his home.
In the meantime, Camp said his family is trying to remember the silver linings.
Ripping out the drywall and insulation led the family to discover some termite damage and a slow water leak from the roof, and the kids have had some fun going on a treasure hunt for all their belongings strewn outside the house. He said Derrick joked that they鈥檝e been wanting to declutter for a while.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still humbled by the experience and blessed to be alive,鈥 Camp said.
He said his family has been grateful for all the help from their relatives, friends, neighbors and strangers.
Wes Camp looks at his belongings spread along the curb in front of his house in the River Glen subdivision of Glen Alpine.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a crazy few weeks, but again, we鈥檙e still blessed,鈥 Camp said. 鈥淲e have our family, our safety and our house. I just can鈥檛 imagine what some of these other folks have been through, hearing horror stories about landslides taking people, people being stuck for weeks without power and resources.鈥
