Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina late at night on Thursday, September 26, two nights before my birthday. Early Friday morning, we could already see that numerous downed trees and a lack of electricity in our area would prevent our family from gathering for a birthday celebration. The best birthday gift was definitely learning that all my family and extended family were safe. However, during those first phone calls to check on one another, we were not fully aware of the devastation happening around us, especially for our daughter Emily and her family, who lived in Black Mountain, NC.