Showing results for "The Mark" in Disaster Relief

As we cope with the lengthening effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, considerations of everyday risk have been more pressing and inescapable. In the past, everyone engaged in some degree of risky behaviour, from mundane realities like taking a shower or getting into a car to purposely thrill-seeking activities like rock-climbing or BASE jumping. Many activities that seemed high-risk, such as flying, were claimed basically safe. But risk was, and always has been, a fact of life.

Imagine being cut off from the world, perched atop a mountain turned into a deadly flood zone by Hurricane Helene's fury. For Emma Churchman and her husband Jeff, this nightmare became reality in September 2024. For three harrowing days, their loved ones had no idea if they were alive. But surviving was just the beginning. When they finally fought their way down three miles of treacherous terrain, they found their small mountain community of Gerton, NC transformed. Without power, phones, or internet, their neighborhood teetered between chaos and unity.