Six Months After Hurricane Helene, Governor Stein Honors Lives Lost & Reaffirms Commitment to Supporting Western North Carolina

Today, on the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Governor Josh Stein visited western North Carolina to honor the 106 lives lost and reaffirm his commitment to supporting the region’s full recovery.  

“Six months ago today, Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina and forever changed our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “106 lives were tragically lost in the wake of Hurricane Helene, and their families and communities will forever grieve their absence. Today, we honor their legacies and recommit to supporting our neighbors every step of the way as they work to rebuild western North Carolina.” 

Governor Stein met families who lost loved ones, including firefighters at the Fairview Fire Department, and celebrated the life of Tony Garrison, a volunteer battalion chief who dedicated his life to serving the Fairview community. Along with his nephew Brandon Ruppe, Garrison tragically died while attempting to rescue 11 individuals from a mudslide. Stein thanked the firefighters and first responders who heroically responded to the devastation of the storm and expressed his commitment to honoring the memory of those lost by continuing to fight for western North Carolina. He also signed a proclamation in commemoration of the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene and in remembrance of the 106 lives lost.

Six months since Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, Governor Stein continues to advocate for the ongoing relief efforts: 

• Yesterday, Governor Stein submitted a finalized Action Plan for distributing $1.4 billion awarded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the fastest any state has submitted a plan following a major hurricane in the past decade.
• Last week, the Governor signed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part 1, which provides $524 million in total aid for western North Carolina. The bill calls for $120 million for a CDBG-DR Home Reconstruction and Repair program, $55 million in local government infrastructure grants to help small businesses, $100 million for private road and bridge repair, and $20 million for debris cleanup among other provisions.
• Governor Stein continues to advocate for $19 billion in federal funds to restore damaged roads and other infrastructure, support home repair and renovation, and reduce impacts from future natural disasters.
• FEMA also recently granted Governor Stein’s requests for 30-day extensions for the Public Assistance program and the Individual Assistance Program.

See progress updates on the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina’s recovery dashboard.