YANCEY COUNTY, NC – As residents continue the painstaking process of putting their lives back together after Hurricane Helene, a hard-hit western couple North Carolina shares their story of survival.

Howard and Lisa Ray were living in a home near the Cane River north of Asheville when, in late September, the storm system began dumping torrential rain.

“It was probably 9:30 that morning when we looked out, and the water was about three feet away. And then, about 15 minutes later, we looked again and our porch was gone,” Lisa told FOX Weather.

Minutes later, Lisa said the kitchen started filling with water and a couch was one of the last pieces of furniture visible above the waterline.

After calling for help via a radio communications system, Lisa said their caravan broke into pieces, allowing the couple to drive away while clinging to the sofa.

“We floated about a quarter mile and he told me to jump. And I jumped and wrapped my arm around the barbed wire fence,” Lisa said.

Helen caused at least $53 billion in damage in North Carolina, governor says

Howard said help finally arrived several hours later, but it would be several days before he and his wife returned to their property to survey the damage and search for their missing dog.

“Two days later, she came back to where we broke into the garage to get to our jeep. And there she was. I had never seen her smile until then,” Lisa said.

Ray’s home, along with those of many people in rural Pensacola, North Carolina, was completely lost as feet of water poured into rivers and tributaries.

The couple is temporarily staying in an Airbnb arranged by their pastor until they decide what to do next.

According to data from the Federal Emergency Management AgencyAlmost all properties affected by floodwaters in North Carolina do not have an active flood insurance policy, which will make the recovery process even more extensive.

“Where God leads us, that’s where we will go,” Lisa told FOX Weather.

Helene’s death toll exceeds 100 in North Carolina

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported that more than 100 people died due to the storm, with the majority of victims coming from the Asheville and Buncombe County area.

THE the state’s governor estimated the total damage at around $53 billionmaking Helen the costliest natural disaster in North Carolina history.

“This storm has left a trail of destruction in our beautiful mountains that we will not soon forget, but I know the residents of Western North Carolina are determined to build back better than ever. These initial funds are “a good start, but the staggering amount of damage shows that we are on the front lines of this recovery effort,” Governor Roy Cooper said in a statement in the aftermath of the storm.

Original article source: North Carolina couple report being swept away from home during Hurricane Helene