‘They were inseparable’: Helene recovery continues, but families can’t forget
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - It’s been 166 days since Hurricane Helene swept through our area as a category one hurricane, bringing with it damage like we’ve never seen before.
Businesses were damaged, homes were destroyed, and families were forever affected.
This was the biggest natural disaster our area has ever seen.
Even now, months later, the Red Cross says many are still on high alert when a bad storm rolls through.
“We had some really strong winds come in,” said Susan Everitt, with the Red Cross. “I got little heart palpitations. I’m like, oh my gosh, are the few remaining trees that are left, are they going to come down?”
Even as recovery efforts continue, some families can’t come back from what they lost because what some families lost during this storm is irreplaceable.
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You can fix a roof or repair your yard, but you can’t replace a life.
Like two halves of the same story.
“Since day one he was born, they’ve always been; they were inseparable,” said Michelle Donehoo, Steve Donehoo’s daughter and Izaac Donehoo’s Grandmother.
Steve and Izzac Donehoo spent every day together.
“Izaac’s special time was helping him build stuff,” said Kara Donehoo, Steve Donehoo’s grandaughter and Izaacs mom.
The best days were the ones spent fishing.
“That was their ion, fishing,” said Michelle and Kara. “They had competitions to see who could catch the most fish.”
Those days are now a memory.
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“If it would have been only one of them,” said Kara. “The other one would have grieved.”
When Hurricane Helene tore the pages from both of their lives.
“The last conversation I had with my son, he gave me a hug, told me he loved me, and he was going to bed,” said Kara.
Kara, just feet away from her son and grandfather.
“When that tree cut through the living room, and I went hollering for him, my, the last thing, my son told me, he said, mommy, and that was the last thing I heard,” said Kara.
At 4:30 that morning –
“All I heard him say was they’re gone,” said Michelle.
Kara’s mom, Michelle, gets a call.
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“That phone call replays in my head at times, and that’s all I hear is they’re gone,” said Michelle.
Now, this family is figuring out how they’ll survive without Steve and Izaac.
“His great grandbabies, all six of them, those were his reason for living,” said Michelle.
Their family finds comfort in that this inseparable duo will never have to live a day separate from one another.
“When Pa went outside to go build, Izaac was right up underneath him,” said Kara.
“They’re always together,” said Michelle. “They’ll, they’ll always be together.”
The emotional toll is going to be here for a while and the Red Cross says maybe for the lifetime of some people
That’s why they really want people to know about the resources they have when it comes to mental health and emotional needs.
Because that’s another organization working to meet the long-term needs of our communities still recovering.
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