On Sept. 28, James Staton woke in the parking lot of a gas station in Black Mountain, North Carolina. His only intention the previous morning was to drive back to his home in Orange County.
Staton, an employee relations consultant at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), had been attending a regional human resources conference in Cherokee, North Carolina with his partner.
He was aware of Hurricane Helene but didn’t know the damage in the western part of North Carolina.
“I heard Asheville was hit badly and that Hendersonville was hit very hard,” Staton said. “I didn’t hear any messages about don’t travel or stay inside.”
So, at 10 a.m. Sept. 27, he and his partner left. They drove east and passed through Canton.
“One of the dams near Canton broke,” Staton said. “I saw a roaring river racing to the side of me, taking down houses and cars. That’s when I realized there was no power.”
No power meant the pumps at gas stations would not work. That was a problem, as Staton had left the conference with only a quarter tank, intending to fill up on his way home.
As he drove into the Asheville area, it got worse. “I had to drive over power lines,” he said.
After taking an exit, a trucker standing in the street told him to go back.
“I looked back and saw water over the houses,” Staton said. “There were emergency crews with lifeboats trying to rescue people. This was on a normal public street (now underwater).”
Staton got back on U.S. 40 and pulled off to the town of Black Mountain. With only enough gas for six more miles, he pulled into the parking lot of a BP gas station. After talking to other stranded travelers, he found there had been a mudslide across U.S. 40 a bit to the east, blocking the highway.
Gas Station Blues
By that night, more than 20 vehicles with more than 30 people had pulled into the parking lot. An employee of nearby grocery store that was closed gave them bread, turkey meat, condiments and baby formula. There was a hotel across the street, but it was sold out and had no power. Staton and the other stranded motorists slept in their vehicles – sometime being woken up by the cold (it dropped to 51 degrees) or the sound of emergency vehicles.
The next morning, someone heard that U.S. 40 was supposed to reopen at 5 p.m.
“During the day there was a lot of fellowship,” Staton said. People loaned each other phones or chargers. A football was tossed around. Someone gave a blanket to a man in shorts and a t-shirt.
An employee opened up the BP station for a couple house in the late morning and sold snacks (the pumps were still out) for cash only. Staton stocked up on beef jerky, Snickers, Gator Aid and a case of water.
At 4 p.m., it was announced at a press conference that U.S. 40 would not be opened that day or anytime soon. “It brought everyone’s spirits down,” Staton said.
One of the stranded men contacted a cousin from Sumter, South Carolina, who said he would drive out and bring gas. The cousin arrived a bit late but with several filled gas cans.
They poured the gas into the tanks of four vehicles including Staton’s, then left; heading first west, then south. It wasn’t a pleasant ride.
“It looked like something from a horror movie,” Staton said. “I rode through tons of mud, dodging (downed) light poles and houses on the road. And it was pitch black. All the signs were down. I had to write down landmarks so I could find my way back.”
Caravan
At a gas station in Hendersonville, the drivers filled up their tanks, exchanged handshakes and hugs. The others decided to head to their homes. Staton filled up three gas cans, put them in his trunk and drove back to Black Mountain.
He arrived about midnight at the BP station with a plan. Staton woke everyone up and asked them to check how much gasoline they had in their cars. Then he started pouring gas into 18 or so cars.
“I felt like a general,” he reflected. “That people were waiting on me to make decisions.”
He next gathered everyone together. “I understand a lot of people are scared and haven’t driven in these conditions,” he told the group. “We’re going west on U.S. 40. When we get to 25, it will get a bit rough.”
If anyone had problems, he told them to flash their lights and blow their horns twice. Then they left in a caravan.
It was slow going on highway 25, but eventually they made it to the gas station in Hendersonville. His fellow travelers were appreciative.
“I had people coming up to me crying, hugging, wanting to take pictures with me,” Staton said.
From there, Staton and most of the people stranded with him drove to Charlotte. Then they parted ways. Staton and his partner arrived back in Orange County about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 – two days after starting a drive that normally took four-and-a-half hours.
Processing
Hurricane Helene dropped 30 inches of rain in North Carolina. At one point, more than 400 roads were closed in the state. According to an Oct. 14 article in USA Today, 124 people have been confirmed dead in North Carolina (214 nationwide) with 72 of those in Buncombe County where Black Mountain and Asheville are located.
After his return, James Staton took a week to start sleeping regularly. A fan of the Weather Channel and Accuweather, he still finds himself unable to watch any coverage of Hurricane Helene.
On the other hand, he fondly remembers the camaraderie.
“We came together,” he said. “That touched me. I wish people could come together more.”
