It will be some time before it is possible to accurately estimate the total amount of damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
However, reports of damage and fatalities are beginning to surface from the regions hit by both storms, creating a very sad picture. We covered the tragic story of the South Carolina couple who were discovered hugging each other in death earlier this week, as well as Khyzier and Khazmir Williams, twin babies who are thought to be the youngest victims of Hurricane Helene at only five weeks old.
More tragic news today: a family of four reportedly perished in North Carolina while trying to flee their Green Mountain home during Hurricane Helene.
As Helene approached, Alison Wisely, her fiancé Knox Petrucci, and their two kids, Felix, 7, and Lucas, 9, attempted to leave their house last Friday at around noon, according to their family members.
However, their car soon started to float as they made their way through the floodwaters. The family reportedly got out of their car and tried to head back to their house, abandoning their evacuation efforts. They were then tragically washed into the Toe River.
According to reports, a first-hand witness to the incident attempted to warn Alison and Knox not to go near the water and then attempted to help with a rescue attempt to save them.
On October 4, 2024, Alison’s body was found in Tennessee. The next day, the bodies of Felix and Lucas were discovered. Knox’s body was also found on October 7.
According to family members contacted, the family had prepared for Hurricane Helene and expected some minor basement flooding. They bought sandbags and pallets, but they thought the mountains around their house would protect them from the worst of it.
According to reports, the area experienced devastating flooding. Water levels in Alison and Knox’s one-story house dropped just a few inches below the ceiling as the Toe River rose by 22 feet.
According to Briana Petrucci Yarbrough, Knox’s sister, “Knox was always there for friends who were like family and inspired others in the way he moved through life with authenticity and boundless love and acceptance.” “I want people to think of my brother Knox as someone who united the community and was constantly looking for deep connections with other people.”
“Brilliant and wise Alison was a very loving mother to the boys she shared and co-parented with their loving father, Lance Wisely,” she added.
Dear loved ones and friends, I have bad news. Knox, Aly, Felix, and Lucas are all thought to be deceased.Around noon on…
Lance Wisely published this on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.
Although a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to raise money to honor the lives of Alison, Knox, Felix, and Lucas and support those affected by the storm, the Carolina Memorial Sanctuary has agreed to pay for the family’s funeral expenses.
To make matters even more tragic, it is reported that Alison and Knox were preparing to tie the knot on November 9.
As authorities in the eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina regions continue to recover bodies nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene struck, the most recent reports indicate that over 230 people have been discovered dead in the aftermath of the storm.
May this impoverished family and everyone who perished in the recent storms rest in peace.