Hurricane Victims Finally Go Home As ‘West Virginia Boys’ Step In, Biden-Harris Aid Slow

Hurricane Helene left parts of North Carolina in shambles, but a group of coal miners from West Virginia managed to restore a vital roadway within days, allowing residents to return home. The miners, referred to as the “West Virginia Boys,” rebuilt the 2.7-mile section of Highway 64 between Bat Cave and Chimney Rock in just three days, a feat that many local officials initially deemed impossible.

Robin Phillips, a Chimney Rock resident, was one of the many locals grateful for their work. “I haven’t been home since the flood. They moved mountains and made it possible,” she said. Phillips, who operates a small campground with her husband, expressed her eagerness to return and check on her business.

Despite the miners’ efforts, the Biden-Harris administration has faced criticism for its sluggish response. Federal agencies like FEMA and the DOT visited the area but failed to take charge or provide substantial assistance. Volunteers like Logan Campbell noted that while government officials assessed the situation, the miners had already completed most of the work.

Dan Lewis, who traveled from Oklahoma to volunteer, expressed frustration with the lack of federal support. “They talked about sending engineers and surveyors, but the miners built the road before any of them showed up,” he said. Lewis, along with other volunteers, has been camping in the area for weeks to assist the community.

Residents in the region are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the administration’s promises of aid. Bat Cave’s Curtis McCart shared that FEMA set up a station only recently, weeks after the disaster struck. “We were told help was coming, but nothing showed up for a long time,” he stated.