When Hurricane Helene moved its way from Florida up through Georgia and into the Carolinas, people knew that it was going to be a big event. The unfortunate reality for some, however, is that it affected them even more than they could’ve ever imagined.
A couple that had watched the river near their home in Minneapolis, North Carolina were very nervous about it breaching the bank. Jamie Guinn and his wife, Melissa were sheltering at home along with River their eight-year-old son.
Although they were watching the river, it only took moments for it to breach the home and they had to rush to safety. Unfortunately, the floodwaters would sweep Melissa away.
Jamie Guinn and his four sons were left on their own now that their mother had died. The community and loved ones were also trying to raise the money that was needed and Jamie admits that he doesn’t know how we will ‘make it without her.’
Guinn spoke with the news saying that he, River, and Melissa were at home safe and they suddenly heard a loud bang. He said: “All of a sudden, I heard something. Sounded like an explosion. And me and my wife went running through the house and the back door was shattered. So I ran to go to the garage to get something to block the garage off and our garage was gone.”
He went on to talk about the event, saying: “It sounded like a cannon going off. I just remember being crushed by the house falling all around me. And I can remember screaming for my little boy, and I could hear him screaming. And somehow, we dug through the house where it collapsed almost down into the river and I found him.”
When he looked up, he saw his wife standing where their home had been previously. He took his eyes off of her for a second, and she was gone.
He went on to say: “And my wife was still up on the top where the house was. And she screamed at me, ‘Babe, watch out!’ And so I tried to grab my little boy and threw him on my back because I figured it was another slide, and by the time I turned back around to try to make myself alert … she was gone.
“So I went to scream and was screaming for her, and I couldn’t find my little boy. He turned around, and he just told me, ‘Daddy, I think mommy’s gone. So we kept screaming and hollering for her and no one ever could find her. And at that time, I can’t even remember if there was any part of the house left or if it was gone. It was all a blur.”
He went on to talk about his wife, saying: “She was my absolute best friend. I really don’t know how I’m going to make it without her. We spent every day together. Everything I’ve done, she was involved in the same way as every other. Just going from having that person in your life every day to literally gone in the blink of an eye, it just shows how often you might take for granted being with someone.”
So far, the GoFundMe has raised over $92,000 of their $110,000 goal.