In just moments, Jamie Guinn’s life was turned upside down when flooding from the storm claimed his wife, Melissa, as it ravaged their community. Hurricane Helene killed at least 232 people across the southeastern U.S., including 72 in Buncombe County.
It is the deadliest mainland U.S. hurricane since Katrina in 2005, with hundreds still missing.
On Friday, Sept. 27, Jamie and Melissa Guinn were at their home in Minneapolis, North Carolina, with their 8-year-old son, River, when disaster struck. Their house, which overlooked the river, had been under careful watch when chaos erupted.
“All of a sudden, I heard something that sounded like an explosion,” Jamie told Fox News Digital. “Me and my wife ran through the house, and the back door was shattered.”
Jamie rushed to the garage to find something to block it off, but the garage was already destroyed. “It sounded like a cannon going off. I remember being crushed by the house collapsing around me,” he said. “I was screaming for my little boy, and I heard him screaming. Somehow, we managed to dig through the wreckage, and I found him.”
Though Jamie saved his son, Melissa was sitting on top of the house’s remains, and that was the last time he saw her alive. “She screamed, ‘Babe, watch out!’ I grabbed my little boy, put him on my back, and by the time I turned around, she was gone,” Jamie said, holding back tears.
In shock, Jamie and his son sought refuge at a neighbor’s house. Jamie sustained a fractured spine and a head injury, but nothing compared to the pain of losing his wife. “She was my absolute best friend. I don’t know how I’ll go on without her. We spent every day together. Losing her in the blink of an eye… it makes you realize how much you take for granted.”
Jamie and Melissa had been together for 17 years, just weeks away from celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. They had a tradition of exchanging small gifts, and Jamie had planned to give her a plaque inscribed with, “Love you more,” something they always said to each other.
“She was the best mother and wife anyone could ask for,” Jamie said, still in disbelief at the devastation Helene brought to his community. “The river rising that much… it’s hard to put into words. This kind of thing isn’t supposed to happen here.”
Despite the tragedy, Jamie was moved by the strength and support of his community. “The outpouring of help has been incredible. I’ve never seen our community come together like this,” he said.