Extraordinary person and friend Shari Ives endured but survived the trauma of Hurricane Helene whilst home alone at her mountain homestead in western North Carolina
The weekend before Hurricane Helena hit the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, a mutual friend mentioned that Shari was busy. She was prepping for the storm that was heading straight for her. It was the last anyone heard from her in almost a week. Hours passed slowly and turned into days. It felt like an eternity. Those close to Shari in the UK and Europe were almost catatonic with worry.
“I am sitting at 2,000 feet – atop a mountain in Asheville, NC. I sit here and feel blessed, as today is the first time I have taken a shower in 11 days.” – Shari
Shari was alone in a mountain forest at 2,000 feet. She was traumatised and completely cut off. Only in the last few days has Shari come to learn the true extent of the loss and devastation. It affected not just herself, her nearest neighbors, and community but also the entire Appalachian region.
Although still suffering from the ‘aftershock’ affecting short-term memory, we are relieved and thrilled to officially report and publish that Shari Ives is alive and as well as she can be in these challenging circumstances, which sadly cannot be said for so many in the southeastern United States.
ROCKY BALBOA MOUNTAIN – Shari’s Story
I met Shari nearly five years ago in a live chat community on YouTube, and since then, we’ve shared much in private, offline. Something I didn’t know was the real reason why a high-flying ‘city girl’ had come to be in a forest mountain hideaway in the first place. Here is her story. She wrote it to me as a quick message using one finger to type. She’d managed to charge her phone from her car battery and grabbed a few minutes of intermittent signal at a gas station.
“I have decided that I am going to sue my old school district and return all of my school diplomas – because on day 7 of this ordeal, I found out … that toilets can flush without electricity.” – Shari
India, I am not sure I ever told you how I arrived in Asheville, NC.
8 years ago I moved to Asheville, NC to die.
I had multiple spine fractures, years of agony after many surgeries and POTS Syndrome.
I am disabled; but once I learned to walk again after being bed-ridden for 3 years — I got in my car and drove here - to a place I have never been — and I did not know anyone - and I moved deep into the forest, alone to die.
I seem to have not accomplished that goal, but I will accept that loss.
I would like to thank Sylvester Stallone for my survival through Hurricane Hell-In, because he saved my life.
When I was laying in bed dying, all those years ago - I didn’t know what to do.
I thought to myself — “ What would Rocky do …? “
I remembered his movie with Dolph Lundgren, the blonde Russian boxer.
I thought - when Dolph went to train - he went into the lithium world of digits and electricity and numbers and he fought the beast in the machine, as he beat his hands into blood, to train to be the best….
And then I thought ——-> “Well, what did Rocky do …?”
And I remembered …
Rocky went to the mountains.
Rocky went into the forest….
Rocky used boulders and wood to lift and haul while he honed his mind and his body bled.
He broke his own soul; so he could rebuild it - with a force only afforded the ones willing to take the journey with unwaivering faith.
So I thought ——> “ I’m gonna do what Rocky did”.
And I did it.
I may fall down - but I will never stay there.
I will ALWAYS rise. I will ALWAYS get up. I will NEVER stop fighting.
I will crawl and then I will get up again.
I will not stop. I will never give up.
I sit here and feel blessed, as today is the first time I have taken a shower in 11 days.
I am texting this with one finger and need to turn off my phone to save power, as we still don’t have electricity.
Shari
Footnote: I have decided that I am going to sue my old school district and return all of my school diplomas ——- because on day 7 of this ordeal - I found out ….that toilets can flush without electricity.
The Shari Ives ‘I AM THE STORM’ Fundraiser on Ko-Fi
We should have realised, knowing Shari, that it wouldn’t cross her mind. While she was cut off and trying to come to terms with the immediate aftermath of her predicament, thousands of miles away, someone feeling helpless and not knowing what else to do, would start a fundraiser. They hoped it might help. When she found out it was a complete surprise and emotional moment.
Please help us to help support her to recover and rebuild her life with your prayers or loving intentions, share direct links to her fundraiser or donate something yourself if you can. LOVE_WINS.
Shari Ives I AM THE STORM fundraiser on Ko-Fi
Recapping the ‘perfect storm’
Hurricane Helene was a devastating tropical cyclone that caused widespread destruction and fatalities across the Southeastern United States in late September 2024. It was the strongest hurricane on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida, the deadliest Atlantic hurricane since Maria in 2017, and the deadliest to strike the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005.
The eighth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Helene began forming on September 22 as a broad low pressure system in the western Caribbean Sea. By September 24, the disturbance had consolidated enough to become a tropical storm as it approached the Yucatán Peninsula, receiving the name Helene from the National Hurricane Center. Weather conditions led to the cyclone’s intensification, and it became a hurricane early on September 25. More pronounced and rapid intensification ensued as Helene traversed the Gulf of Mexico the following day, reaching Category 4 intensity on the evening of September 26. Late on September 26, Helene made landfall at peak intensity in the Big Bend region of Florida, near the city of Perry, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h). Helene weakened as it moved quickly inland before degenerating to a post-tropical cyclone over Tennessee on September 27. The storm then stalled over the state before dissipating on September 29.
In advance of Helene’s expected landfall, states of emergency were declared in Florida and Georgia due to the significant impacts expected, including very high storm surge along the coast and hurricane-force gusts as far inland as Atlanta. Hurricane warnings also extended further inland due to Helene’s fast motion. The storm caused catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding, particularly in western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia, and spawned numerous tornadoes. Helene also inundated Tampa Bay, breaking storm surge records throughout the area. As of October 18, at least 225 deaths have been attributed to the storm. Source: wikipedia
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