Asheville Police and FEMA Work to Return Photos Lost in Hurricane Helene to Owners in Swannanoa, NC

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Asheville Police Department, along with FEMA workers and volunteers, have been working tirelessly to recover and return hundreds of photos lost during the storm to their rightful owners in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

Detective Sam DeGrave of the Asheville Police Department was instrumental in this effort. On the day of the flood, DeGrave was involved in evacuation efforts and swift water rescues along the Swannanoa River. He returned the next day to continue the search for people in need of rescue and stumbled upon the first photo, which marked the beginning of a larger initiative to collect and return lost photographs.

The collection of photos quickly turned into a group effort, with other detectives, FEMA workers, and volunteers joining in. DeGrave emphasized the significance of these photos, stating, “Each of these photos contains an immense amount of humanity,” and hoping that returning them could help people regain some normalcy and connection to their past before the disaster.

The scale of the damage in Asheville and surrounding areas, including Swannanoa, has been extensive. The community has seen houses destroyed and debris fields formed, but the small act of collecting and returning photos has provided a sense of hope and connection for those affected.

In addition to the police department’s efforts, other initiatives are underway to rebuild and restore the community. For example, Operation Love and Hope is working to reconstruct youth league baseball and softball fields in Black Mountain‘s Veterans Park, another area impacted by the hurricane.