© 2025 WUOT

WUOT
209 Communications Building
1345 Circle Park Drive
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0322
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

In Their Own Words

In Their Own Words

One year after Hurricane Helene tore through East Tennessee, WUOT News gathered recollections from over 20 people who survived the floods. These are some of their stories, in their own words:
  • Joy Lambert as seen in her new trailer home in the town of Hampton, Tennessee on Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2025. On Sep. 27, 2024, she and her husband lost the home they had lived in for nearly 30 years when floodwaters overwhelmed the Doe River, devastating communities in Carter County and elsewhere in East Tennessee.
    News
    Joy Lambert - Hampton, Tenn.
    Pierce Gentry
    One year ago, Joy Lambert and her husband, Karlas, lost everything to floods wrought by Hurricane Helene. Now, with the help of their community, they’ve managed to get back on their feet.
  • Michael Davis as seen in his new home in Butler, Tenn. on Friday, Sep. 12, 2025. On Sep. 27, 2024, he and his family lost their home when floodwaters from Hurricane Helene ran down the mountainside they live on, devastating hundreds of homes in rural Johnson County.
    News
    Michael Davis - Butler, Tenn.
    Pierce Gentry
    One year ago, Michael Davis and his family lost everything to flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. After receiving help from a local church, they're getting back on their feet.
  • Students from Kent State's construction management program work to rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane Helene in Johnson County on Friday, September 12, 2025. The Ohio-based students are just some of the thousands of volunteers who have surged into the region in Helene's aftermath to provide resources and labor to those who lost everything.
    News
    Allyson Felty - Trade, Tenn.
    Pierce Gentry
    One year ago, Allyson Felty and her family lost their Johnson County home after Hurricane Helene raged through East Tennessee. Hear her story in her own words.
Healing after Helene: One year after the storm that changed East Tennessee
On September 27, 2024 Hurricane Helene struck the heart of Appalachia, devastating rural communities throughout East Tennessee. One year later, many are still picking up the pieces.
Listen Now