Tulsa Woman Assisting Hurricane Helene Survivors In North Carolina

As North Carolina residents clean up debris after sustaining damage from Hurricane Helene, a Tulsa resident who just returned to Oklahoma from the East Coast says she went to help her family.

Michele Fisher moved to Oklahoma a few years ago, after living in North Carolina for over 20 years. Fisher said she wanted to check on her son, as well as the town that means so much to her.

Fisher's son Phillip Minton lives in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the hardest-hit areas of the state. Fisher visited the town with donations from a church in Tulsa to assist in recovery efforts.

“I was very glad to see him and everyone else that I know that is OK,” Fisher said. “There are so many unanswered questions right now as far as, you know, how long the cleanup?”

Fisher said some work has been done to begin rebuilding, but there is still a long road ahead for those living in the area.

“I mean they’re starting, obviously, with the cleanup and there’s bridges out,” Fisher said. “There’s roads that are washed away that you used to be able to go on, but you can’t.”

Fisher's son is the general manager at a restaurant in Black Mountain, North Carolina, which is located east of Asheville.

Instead of leaving town, Fisher said her son is helping others in the service industry by cooking and cleaning for those affected, as the town would normally see plenty of tourists around this time of year.

If you are looking to donate money to assist Fisher and Minton's efforts in North Carolina, click here.