In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene pushed north into Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. More than 20 inches of rain fell in a matter of hours. The runoff turned the Nolichucky River into a force that swept away bridges, farmland, homes, and livestock, and roads stayed impassable for days. Helene became the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina. Two years later, at least five people from the North Carolina mountains upstream are still missing.

Mountain Strong documents what came after. I traveled the river corridor around Embreeville and Chuckey, Tennessee, photographing on a Leica MP with Kodak Portra 400 and Tri-X. I spoke with the volunteer firefighters who ran water rescues, the farmers who watched the river take everything, and the families facing the financial weight of starting over.

When one Chuckey farmer posted a call for help on social media, farmers from across the Southeast showed up with hay, feed, and supplies for the farm and the local fire department. That response is the heart of this project. It’s about what community means in a place where neighbors are often the first and only ones coming.

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Documentary film below the gallery