Man hikes 11 miles through the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to reach his elderly parents

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The North Carolina man risked his life to make sure his parents were safe after they were stranded following the devastating hurricane

Hurricane Helene damage
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A North Carolina man hiked 11 miles / 17.7km up a mountain to check on his parents in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

Charlotte resident Sam Perkins hadn’t heard from his parents, both in their 70s, after the devastating hurricane ripped through the mountainous region where they live last week. Fearing for their safety, Perkins set out to drive to their remote home but was stopped some 30 miles / 48km away by state troopers. 

“I basically got to a spot where troopers were blocking getting up the mountain, and they said, you can walk,” Perkins told CBS. “I love my parents so much and I just had to know that they were ok.” 

Wracked with worry and determined to check on his parents, Perkins stocked a bag with supplies and set out on the treacherous hike. Carrying food, water and a power bank, he traversed mud slides, fallen trees and scattered debris. 

“The higher up you went, it got worse and worse, just constant trees down, it was like an obstacle course," he continued.

Hurricane Helene damage

Damage caused by Hurricane Helene has devastated North Carolina, making some areas unreachable by car (Image credit: Getty Images)

Alongside a few hitch hikes, Perkins hiked for three and a half hours, gaining 2,200ft / 670m in elevation before making it to his parents' driveway where Perkins found his father in their front drive.

“I have never been so relieved to see anyone ok,” he told CNN. “I just hugged them, cried, filled them in on all the news they were missing.

“They have food. They’re pretty much out of water but they have enough propane to boil once they start needing to.”

After ensuring his parents safety, Perkins headed back down the mountain so as not to waste their supplies.

Coming ashore on September 26, Hurricane Helene ripped through the American southeast, claiming over 200 lives on it's five-day rampage. Causing an estimated $30 billion in damage, Helene wiped out homes, businesses and entire communities.

Bearing the brunt of the storm, North Carolina was hit by over 10 in / 25cm of rainfall in just two days and wind speeds of up to 70 miles per hour / 113 kph. With recovery efforts in their infancy, thousands of North Carolinians remain displaced.

Will Symons
Will Symons
Staff Writer

Will Symons developed his love of the outdoors as a student, exploring every inch of Sussex’s South Downs national park and wild swimming off the Brighton seafront. Now a Staff Writer for Advnture, Will previously worked as a freelance journalist and writer, covering everything from cricket to ancient history. Like most Advnture staff, Will’s weekends are rarely spent indoors, he can often be found hiking, wild swimming or playing cricket.