LESTER, NC — Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, one resident is creating something beautiful from the destruction left behind.
Hurricane Helene formed in the Atlantic one year ago Wednesday, becoming the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005. After making landfall in Florida, the storm stalled over the Appalachian Mountains, dumping historic amounts of rain.
Western North Carolina suffered the worst impact, with more than 100 people killed and entire communities washed away.
John Saunby, a resident of Lester, North Carolina, is using debris from the hurricane to build his new home.
"Pretty much everything is recycled and salvaged," Saunby said.
His unique mountain home features porch posts pulled from the wilderness and kitchen floorboards salvaged from an old cotton mill that bear marks from the industrial revolution era.
"And that's what those marks right here are: diamond plating steel," he explained.
Saunby was finishing his kitchen when Hurricane Helene struck his beloved western North Carolina.
"Seeing it on the news is one thing, but standing there amongst it is hard to get your head around, but the debris," Saunby said.
For months, pieces of buildings and homes sat in debris piles across the region. Some areas still haven't been cleaned up. Saunby saw an opportunity in the destruction.
"That's, chandelier. It's the porch light. It's things like that. The woods are full of treasure," he said.
Using hurricane debris and his tools, Saunby created what he calls a metamorphosis.
"Oh, no. This was headed to the landfill," Saunby said when asked if he was taking materials people wanted to keep.
Saunby has always built homes but says he never had the resources to satisfy his creative vision until now. His home features black locust bark siding and pieces of knocked-down trees that now support his roof.
He uses a 1958 International pickup truck named Butterbean to transport debris home.
"Butterbean's a '58 international pickup," he said.
One year after the hurricane, Saunby continues searching for weathered wood, particularly wormy chestnut.
"Which, in the early days in the Carolinas, it was a real plentiful tree," he noted.
His neighbor's 100-year-old barn survived the storm but is barely standing. Saunby sees potential where others might see only ruin.
"You can see right here where you have those deep marks in it. You put a wire wheel to that and the texture will just scream at you," he said.
Appalachian recording artist Jenny Kimmel, Saunby's partner in the project, provides musical inspiration rather than helping with construction tools.
"This house has, like, the soul of the world in it, you know, it's nice to be with somebody to who sees that," Kimmel said, becoming emotional.
When asked how long before he can call the creation his home, Saunby replied confidently, "Give me a year."
He describes this project as his "last hurrah," explaining, "I'm kind of where now. Takes a lot of energy to do it by yourself."
When asked what he meant by his last hurrah, Saunby said simply, "Going out in style."
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