Recovery continues months after Hurricane Helene

Three weeks after Hurricane Helene blew through, Dr. Otto Sharp stood outside the animal hospital he owns in western North Carolina, flanked by his staff. Situated near the Swannanoa River, the clinic's fence and landscaping had been swept away and its foundation damaged. Brown water and mud had oozed under the door into the reception area.

But Sharp wasn't there to lament their lot. Instead, he read a statement he'd prepared in advance, not wanting to wing such an important moment. In it, he expressed pride in his team, who, for three weeks after the disaster, volunteered their time to provide free medical care to affected animals, even as many had, themselves, sustained flood or landslide damage to their homes.

This story was published on March 26, 2025.