A former Army Green Beret has been helping lead volunteer helicopter pilots as they drop supplies and rescue people across Western North Carolina.
Black Mountain’s Adam Smith led the effort after a more personal job. His ex-wife, Megan, and three-year-old daughter, Tove, live close to the Broad River.
He lost contact when the storm hit and feared they were dead. In a brief interview before he went on another helicopter mission Tuesday, Smith said he was in Texas at the start of the storm.
“I legitimately didn’t think there was any hope,” he said. “The house is, like, 30 yards from the river.”
A friend flew Smith to the house and airlifted his family out.
Since then, he’s rounded up other military connections, and they’ve set up base at a Harley-Davidson shop in Swannanoa. About 300 volunteers have delivered food, rescued people and brought a generator to a community center by air, Smith said.
“That’s really what it’s been,” Smith said. “It’s been guys getting (stuff) done because they support their community.”
___
© 2024 The Charlotte Observer
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
