68-year-old Darrel Coffey is an Army Veteran who had been living in a veteran’s community in Swannanoa, a few miles east of Asheville. Originally from Monroe, North Carolina, Darrel moved to Asheville just a year and a half ago looking for a fresh start and new opportunities – starting his new job in factory production.

Darrel, in fact, was at work when he found out that almost his entire community was devastated after Hurricane Helene came sweeping through his east Asheville neighborhood.

“Before I left home, the police came by and said, ‘emergency evacuation,’” said Darrel. “Then I went to work, and they called me. Thirty minutes after I left, they said the whole area was evacuating...We lost everything—everybody around here did.”

He says he knew the storm was coming, but he had no idea how bad it was going to be.

Local Asheville emergency officials, supported by the Red Cross, had set up a shelter at A-B Technical College, where hundreds sought shelter during and after the storm. Darrel was one of them, after having first visited other shelters that ended up also being evacuated for safety.

“I’m 68-years-old and I’m sleeping on a cot but – you know, you’ve got to lay your head somewhere,” said Darrel.

Darrel says he knows a lot of his neighbors at the shelter; in fact, many of them are also veteran friends who had lived in his same community, and many needed support even before the rains came.

And he’s been helping them get around with his car, one of the few possessions that Darryl has left – no small feat, as many roads remain difficult to navigate due to flooding, unstable infrastructure, and downed trees. Still, Darrel says he got lucky overall, all because he went to work and took his car with him.

“If I didn’t go to work Friday, I wouldn’t have a car because everybody else’s cars went down the stream.”

Darrel takes daily walks around the shelter – at a certain point, pointing to muddy clothes hanging over a ledge in the nearby parking deck. He says the clothes were hanging up in his bedroom closet...proof of how high the waters had risen.

Darrel's hands themselves were covered in mud and grime as he sifted through several plastic bags of belongings he managed to salvage after revisiting what was left of his home.

“I never even got to wear my [new] shoes,” said Darrel, gesturing to a barely distinguishable pair of muddy Nikes.

Now, Darrel says he’s thankful to be safe and will be waiting at the shelter until more support happens*, though he says the needs are great. He also says the bond between veterans–especially here in Asheville—is strong, and knowing that he has supporters around him inspires him to keep going and keep helping.

“Before all this happened, me and the veterans up there were like ‘this,’” said Darrel, linking his hands and fingers together. “They keep me alive; they keep me together. I hope I’m doing the same for them.”

Darrel continues to check in and offer support to those staying at the shelter, an air of peace around him despite his circumstances. He says he’s “been through it before” – a cancer and stroke survivor, an Army veteran…and he says he will survive this, too.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, I hope,” said Darrel. “I just want people to see what we’re going through…and I hope this never happens to anyone else.”

*The American Red Cross continues to work with military members, veterans and their families affected by #Helene – identifying needs, providing aid and support, and partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsK-R] , community partners, and countless volunteers and donors. In thanks to these community partnerships, the Red Cross has been able to provide access to lifesaving medication, intermediate housing, and more to veterans suffering in the aftermath of Helene. Visit redcross.org to learn more about our Hurricane Helene efforts, our Service to the Armed Forces division, and how the Red Cross supports our military before, during and after disaster.