Mere days before Florida was hit by Hurricane Milton, Helene, a Category 4 and the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina, raged through other southeast states—hitting North Carolina the hardest.
But one video, shared by Emily Singleton, captures just how resilient and resourceful Appalachian folks are when it comes to protecting their families.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Singleton shared that the day two of her close friends, Josh Johnson and Graham Avery, were trying to save the breastmilk of Graham’s wife, Logan Avery.
They needed to get the milk out of the Avery house, which had lost power, and into their in-law’s house, which had a generator. With the floods making the bridge out of their house inaccessible and fallen trees everywhere, this would be no easy task.
Still, Johnson and Avery were able to put the breast milk in a cooler, along with some frozen meats to keep the milk. They then used a rope pulley system—Avery on one side, Johnson on the other—to guide the cooler across a raging Roaring Creek.
As Singleton’s caption put it, this was just good old fashioned “Appalachian folks makeshifting ways.”
She also told People that the river was not only a transportation system, the cool waters also helped preserve the milk. that ‘s a little trick that all the “Mamaws and Papaws had to do growing up.”
The video struck a sense of pride for fellow Appalachians.
“As someone from Appalachia this is proof to our ingenuity and GRIT,” one viewer wrote.
Another echoed, “Appalachia was settled off this same grit, determination, and sense of community. Seeing everyone helping, rigging up pulley systems. Makes me even prouder to be from there.”
Another even shared that “we [Appalachians] have been doing this with moonshine for years. People in these mountains will make a way one way or another. Always.”
And those not from Appalachia were moved after seeing the way this community looked out for one another.
“I know mama is so appreciative. The testimonies you all are going to have after this horrible situation is over are going to be so amazing!” share one person.
“This hurts my mama heart, but makes me so proud to be an American. THis is what it’s about,” said another.
Singleton also joked in her caption that this family should be sponsored by Yeti, which sells ultra-durable coolers, drinkware and bags. Seems like they more than earned that.
To learn more about how to help with relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Helene, click here.
