“When you have a terrible disaster like Hurricane Helene come through, people first look for protection – from law enforcement, the police, fire and rescue. Then they look for the men and women on yellow iron, the construction people who will clear the roads and put everything back together again.”
Those stirring words are from John Anglin, 43, a longtime Carolinas AGC Member and Young Leader who has spent most of his time since late September 2024 helping lead post-Helene rebuilding efforts near his home in Burnsville in Yancey County. A strong God-fearing man and father of four, John also is business development manager for Branch.
Like we’ve tried to do at CAGC with our members recovering from the worst ever natural disaster in Western North Carolina, John and I have kept close tabs in the last few months. And John, like so many others there, are amazing in how they are quietly, and with fierce determination, getting the job done in rebuilding the infrastructure in Western NC – roads, highways, buildings, water and sewer facilities, businesses and churches.
It is a long, hard road, one that will take years and billions of dollars in reconstruction efforts.
Unfortunately, along with the confirmed deaths of 103 victims in North Carolina, things will never be the same. Yet these folks move on with great dignity and purpose—and help from many of our CAGC members and thousands of others.
In the immediate days in the aftermath of Helene, in one of our conversations, John told me that when people first saw each other, their greetings were pretty much the same:
“How are you?” Followed then by “how is your family?” There wasn’t much talk initially about lost homes, possessions, property. It was all about the people—and if they were okay.
One time I asked John about how in the world areas like Chimney Rock, which was absolutely devastated, could ever be rebuilt. Wouldn’t it just be simpler to clean things up and relocate? John’s immediate response was: “You’ve got to understand mountain people. If we gave up on rebuilding places like Chimney Rock, that would mean we lost. We are mountain people,” and then he playfully added: “We are not yuppies who own condos in Charlotte.”
Wow.
First, I laughed a little because John knows I have a condo in Charlotte, but then the weight of those words sunk in. It also struck me how proud you must feel about can-do mountain people like John making the most of the toughest of times. I also wondered to myself if I would be up to the test if I were in their shoes. Not sure.
But one thing I am sure about: Here’s to the good people like John Anglin who ride the yellow iron—and make people and places whole again. God bless you!
- Dave Simpson, CAE, CAGC President & CEO, has been with the organization since 1989 and can be reached at dsimpson@carolinasagc.org.