It was a tragedy that gripped the nation. Hurricane Helene, a catastrophic Category 4 storm, unleashed unimaginable devastation across the Southeastern United States last September. Sweeping in with winds of 140 mph, it left a trail of destruction, from Florida’s Big Bend region to North Carolina’s mountains. Entire towns were submerged, hundreds of lives were lost, and communities were left in ruins. Amidst the chaos, stories of human resilience emerged—stories that reminded us of the power of community and the bravery of those who risked everything to save others.

One such story comes from a former NASCAR insider, Andy Petree. Known for his time as Vice President of Competition at Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and a storied career as a crew chief, Petree found himself at the center of a rescue effort that would test his resolve and resourcefulness like never before. His tale, revealed in a candid conversation with Kenny Wallace on the Kenny Conversations podcast, is nothing short of harrowing.

Hurricane Helene: A storm of unprecedented fury

Hurricane Helene’s fury was unlike anything the region had seen in decades. Forming as a low-pressure system in the western Caribbean, the storm rapidly intensified as it barreled across the Gulf of Mexico. By the time it made landfall in Florida on September 26, it had become the strongest hurricane to strike the Big Bend region in recorded history. With over 219 lives lost and $78.7 billion in damages, Helene was a stark reminder of nature’s unforgiving power.

The storm’s impact was felt far beyond Florida. Torrential rains and severe flooding swept through Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas, leaving entire towns underwater. In western North Carolina, the picturesque village of Chimney Rock became a haunting symbol of the hurricane’s wrath. “It’s got a bigger river and a kind of canyon thing that comes down into Lake Lure,” Petree recounted. “It just washed the whole town down into that lake. It was all the debris and everything—the houses and those shops. Everything went down in the lake.”

Petree, who had been planning a cruise with his wife Patty, quickly realized that leisure would have to wait. “Once I see that, I told Patty… we’ve got resources here that can be used up there,” he said. What followed was a series of rescue missions that would forever change his life.

A race against Time: The rescue missions

Petree wasted no time mobilizing his network. He reached out to friends, including David Clark, who brought in a helicopter and crew from Alabama. With resources assembled, Petree and his team set to work in Chimney Rock, where the devastation was at its worst.

“The first missions I ran were in Chimney Rock,” Petree explained. “One was trying to evacuate a special-needs child that was up in this… you can’t even see some places. We’d land, can’t see the houses and roads, just tryna find some opening in the canopies of the trees.” Despite their best efforts, the family could not be located. But the mission wasn’t in vain. “All of a sudden, there’s two more people that need to be evacuated,” he said. One had a broken sternum, and their house was partially destroyed.

Navigating through the wreckage was a logistical nightmare. “I had to be back there; it was such a tight place,” Petree recalled. “I had to do it one at a time. And take them over to the Justice Academy there in Hendersonville.” Each trip required meticulous planning and execution, with GPS coordinates guiding the way through treacherous terrain.

The missions were relentless. For nearly two weeks, Petree and his team worked tirelessly. “This was going on almost 10, 12, 14 days later. It’s a blur,” he said. “We’re running these missions non-stop for every daylight hour, then some at night.” From delivering supplies to evacuating stranded residents, the effort was a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance.

One particularly memorable mission involved a nighttime delivery to Mission Hospital. “I took a bunch of starlings up there,” Petree said, describing the challenge of landing on a hospital helipad. “There are so many of those things that happened in Chimney Rock, but that was the first mission I had. The rest of that whole community was just as bad. It was just unbelievable.”

Petree’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of natural disasters—and the incredible strength of those who rise to meet them. Hurricane Helene may have destroyed towns and claimed lives, but it also revealed the best of humanity in people like Andy Petree and his team. Their selflessness and determination brought hope to a region in despair, proving that even in the darkest of times, there is light.

As those affected rebuild and prepare for future storms, Petree’s tale serves as both a cautionary reminder and a call to action. The scars left by Helene will take years to heal, but the resilience of those who lived through it ensures that the spirit of the affected communities will endure.