SWANNANOA, N.C.—Standing on the silt-covered ground amid piles of debris, former President Donald Trump said the aftermath of Hurricane Helene left him awestruck. So did the grit of North Carolinians who cast a record-breaking number of early votes as they continued grappling with the storm’s aftermath.
In response to a question from The Epoch Times at an Oct. 21 news conference near Asheville, North Carolina, Trump shared his message to those early voters: “The first thing I'd say is, ‘We love you,’ because that’s really something special, really, for them to do that.”
“I mean, they lost their house and they’re standing outside, voting,” Trump said, adding, “These are special people. These are people with heart.”
Trump, who seeks the presidency in the Nov. 5 election, also acknowledged: “We want them to vote, but we want them to live and survive and be happy and healthy. Because this is really a tragedy.”
Business owners, community leaders, and onlookers said that Trump’s visit to their small, hard-hit community—and his commitment to continuing to help—buoyed their spirits as they face a months-long recovery.
“The American people are with you all the way,” said Trump, the Republican nominee opposing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris as they each vie to become the nation’s 47th president.
Brian Burpeau, owner of Diamondback 4x4 automotive service center—a storm-damaged business that served as the news conference site on Monday—told Trump: “Mr. President, I can’t thank you enough for coming out. ... We need that shot of hope in the arm. ... We need to know we’re going to be okay and not forgotten.”
Burpeau said he was in disbelief when his general manager called and told him: “The building’s under water.”
“The river is so far away from us, and I thought he was just playing a joke,” Burpeau told reporters. “I couldn’t believe what I saw when I got off the Swannanoa exit. We lost bridges, we’ve lost businesses, we lost homes, we’ve lost people. The devastation here is just not anything I would have ever imagined.”
The community in the western section of North Carolina is protected by mountains and is located about 400 miles inland from the Carolina coast, making it generally less susceptible to damage from hurricanes.
‘Like a Nuke Went Off’
Among dozens of residents who showed up for Trump’s visit was Amber Davis, 30. She brought her son, Brantley, 7, saying he “loves Trump.” Davis, whose home suffered some roof damage but is “still livable,” early-voted for Trump. Asked why she supported Trump, Davis said she likes Trump’s policies and that Harris has avoided answering “a simple question about anything she wants to do.”
Davis lives in nearby Black Mountain, where “life is starting to get a little more normal,” as businesses are reopening, she said.
But Davis lamented, “Swannanoa just looks like a nuke went off.”
The former president, responding to a second question from The Epoch Times, said he had seen quite a few storm-damaged areas in the past.
But the damage he saw from Hurricane Helene was “much more spread out” than the damage he has observed from tornadoes. He had seen tornadoes spare one spot, yet in the adjacent area, “literally there wasn’t a thing left,” Trump said.
Mike Stewart, the owner of Pine View Buildings, a business that had been located across U.S. 70 from Burpeau’s service center, told reporters: “We lost everything.”
“We had 70-plus buildings. We drove here two days later, and there wasn’t one building that was ours,” he said. Instead, there were “houses and trailers and tankers and all sorts of things” strewn across his property, Stewart said.
Still, Stewart acknowledged others have suffered even worse losses.
“There are a lot of people who lost everything, including loved ones,” he said. Turning to Trump, he said, “And I believe that you can serve as a great inspiration to this community right now. ... I think God’s given you indomitable spirit, and no matter what gets thrown at you, you find a way to press through.”
Impromptu Prayer Offered
Stewart said the former president’s visit to Swannanoa will “serve as an inspiration to this community to press on and move forward.”After hearing Stewart’s heartfelt words, Trump thanked him and said, “No speechwriter could write that.”
Stewart responded by asking Trump if he could pray for him; Trump agreed. Stewart prayed for God to give Trump “a spirit of wisdom and understanding and insight as he moves to lead this nation back to greatness.”
Whether Trump or Harris wins the election could depend, in part, on voters in North Carolina—a key state up for grabs in the 2024 presidential contest.
If Trump regains the White House, he promised to “support and totally complete the rebuilding of every region and town and city that was devastated by the hurricane.” He also said he would “personally recruit businesses from all over the world to help restore the prosperity to the region.”
State Rep. Tim Moore, speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, told reporters: “I’ve not gotten a single call from the White House.”
He said Trump and his team “have been in touch with us from day one.”
