On Tuesday evening, about 100 people gathered in the town square of Black Mountain to honor the grief and loss Hurricane Helene brought to Western North Carolina just over a month ago. Elected officials and community members sang music in harmony, shared words of comfort, and read scripture.
Hosted by the Town of Black Mountain, neighboring towns like Swannanoa, Ridgecrest, and Montreat were invited for a vigil to remember those who were lost to Helene. The death toll statewide is 99 as of Oct. 29, with 43 of those deaths in Buncombe County. No names of the victims were read at the vigil.
“We are here today to remember those who have been affected by the Hurricane Helene,” Black Mountain Mayor Michael Sobol said. “All of us have been touched by this storm, but some more than others, especially the ones who have lost their lives.”
Mayor Sobol then expressed his own loss: his cousin, who lived in the Garren Creek community, was swept away due to the water.
Chief of the Black Mountain Fire Department John Coffey read from a post he wrote on the Black Mountain Fire Department Facebook page on what it means to be “Black Mountain Strong.”
“The word ‘strong’ means having the ability to endure challenges and hardships while staying resilient. It’s not just about physical power, but also emotional and mental toughness—being able to face adversity with courage, rise after a fall, and support others even when struggling yourself,” Chief Coffey said to the crowd.
“We are ‘Black Mountain Strong’ as a community standing together, lifting one another up, rebuilding what’s been lost, and finding strength not just in ourselves, but in the collective unity that binds us,” he said.
As the sun started to set, Vice Mayor of Black Mountain Archie Pertiller asked the crowd to share their light with a neighbor by lighting each others’ candles. Local musicians Aditi and Jay Sethi-Brown along with David LaMotte sang a rendition of the prayer called, “Everyone in the world,” as the crowd joined in.
The vigil concluded with the crowd singing “This Little Light of Mine.”
The Black Mountain event comes a week after Asheville and Buncombe County held a candlelight vigil for victims of Helene in Pack Square Park.
READ MORE HERE: ‘Turning darkness into light’: Asheville holds candlelight vigil for victims of Helene
