Healing after Helene: One year after the storm that changed East Tennessee

WUOT | By Pierce Gentry

Published September 27, 2025 at 6:30 PM EDT

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.

This extended feature from WUOT News aired Saturday, September 27, 2025. See more of WUOT's reporting on Hurricane Helene here.

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Pierce Gentry

Born and raised in Knoxville, Pierce studied journalism in the University of Tennessee's College of Communication and Information. His work with WUOT covering Hurricane Helene, the Great Smoky Mountains and local government has earned him numerous awards, including "Best Radio Reporter" from the Southeast Journalism Conference. In his free time, Pierce enjoys reading, photography and getting lost in the Smokies.

See stories by Pierce Gentry