As communities across the United States begin the difficult process of rebuilding after Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic sweep, one family in Fairview, North Carolina, lost 11 members.
The Craig family, deeply rooted in the area known locally as “Craigtown,” lost 11 of its members in a devastating mudslide triggered by the hurricane.
For nearly 80 years, the Craigs had built a life together in this tight-knit part of North Carolina.
Now, that legacy lies buried under debris after Hurricane Helene carved a deadly path over 500 miles, stretching from Florida to the Southern Appalachians.
The state’s death toll has soared past 100, and for the Craigs, the destruction has hit home in the most heartbreaking way.
In Craigtown, a mudslide, fueled by Helene’s torrential rains, swept through, demolishing homes and claiming the lives of those inside.
According to reports from CNN affiliate WTVD, some of the remaining family members could do nothing but watch as their loved ones were swallowed by a torrent of water, mud, and debris.
“They saw it, witnessed it,” Bryan Craig, one of the surviving family members, shared with CNN affiliate WLOS, “and had to watch it all… the sheer power of the water, the rocks, the mud… it’s incredible.”
For Jesse Craig, another surviving family member, the weight of the loss is unbearable.
“My mother and father, my aunt and uncle, my great aunt and uncle… I’ve lost cousins, second cousins,” Jesse told WTVD. It is a pain difficult to imagine, compounded by the fact that just days before the disaster, the family had gathered to celebrate a wedding. Now, those joyful moments, immortalized in photos and keepsakes, are some of the last remnants of a family that has been shattered. “We’re going to have some really great pictures from that wedding,” Bryan recalled. “Pictures of people who are no longer with us.”
Craigtown, once the symbol of the family’s shared history, now lies in ruin. Debris from the landslide litters the community.
As seen in photos of the aftermath, the homes, once standing proudly in the lush landscape of Asheville’s surroundings, have been reduced to rubble.
In the face of such destruction, the surviving members of the Craig family, like Jesse and Bryan, struggle to recognize the place they once called home.
The loss is felt by more than just the Craigs. Long-time family friend Steve Runion described the family as “larger than life” figures in the community, telling CNN affiliate WRAL that they were known for their generosity and compassion. “They would do anything for you,” Runion said. “They really do have servants’ hearts… They were just loving people.”
Despite the heartbreak, there is a focus on preserving the family’s legacy. Bryan Craig mentioned plans to use items recovered from the wreckage, including a few wood stoves that survived the mudslide, to create a memorial in honour of their loved ones.
“They recovered a couple of wood stoves out of a couple of the homes,” Runion shared. “They’re talking about making a memorial out of those wood stoves, which would be really neat.”
The process of healing and rebuilding has begun, though it will be long and difficult. Friends and neighbors have rallied around the Craigs, organizing a GoFundMe campaign to support the family’s rebuilding efforts, cover funeral arrangements, and provide financial aid during their grief.
The family is grateful for the outpouring of support, though nothing can replace what they’ve lost.
“This will never be the same,” Bryan said, reflecting on the irreversible changes to their once-vibrant community. “There’s no way this can ever be the same, this little area. But we try to move on, to get on with life; I know they’d want us to.”
