Stoney Creek residents reflect on Hurricane Florence three years later

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - For residents in Stoney Creek Plantation, the memories of what Hurricane Florence left behind won’t be forgotten.

People who had no concern about potential flooding lost much of what they owned after Florence spent days dumping several feet of rain on southeastern North Carolina.

The storm left more than 40 homes in this community underwater leaving many residents with nowhere to go.

“There were in some areas seven, eight, nine feet of water that were in homes that came out of nowhere,” says Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams. “There were people who had to be rescued with kayaks and boats and other things to get out of their homes and it was just amazing to see the water up to the roof in these houses that have never flooded before”.

If there is one positive from Florence that you hear in the Stoney Creek community now, it’s that the storm turned neighbors into friends.

“The shining star was our entire neighborhood. We actually have a Facebook neighborhood page. Throughout the storm everyone was messaging back and forth. Is everyone okay? Check in...where are you...what do you need,” says Stoney Creek resident Karen Gaughan.

Not only did they help each other in the weeks of recovery ahead, they saw many people outside the community step in and help.

“We all donated food, water, stuff for all the workers and for the cleanup people says Stoney Creek resident David Blanchard. “There were all kinds of churches that came through here and cleaned up. We helped and we had help”.

Three years later, these families can look at their rebuilt lives as being better prepared for another storm, but also hoping it doesn’t come.

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