TBDR builds a way home for families after Helene
MOUNTAIN CITY — Last September, Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding ravaged East Tennessee’s mountains, destroying not just homes and roads but thousands of private bridges, leaving families isolated on their own property.
In response, a volunteer team from Tennessee Baptist Disaster Mission, led by 70-year-old Dale Moles of Mooresburg, spent months after the storm repairing bridges so families could have an easy way home.
“This is a team effort involving many volunteers from all over Tennessee who come to do God’s work,” said Moles.
Before the storm, Neil and Tammy Johnson of Roan Mountain had a simple tiled driveway that led over Hampton Creek, a small stream right outside the house they’ve lived in for nine years. When Helene hit, Hampton Creek swelled from days of rain.
Their bridge was swept away, floating down the creek to a neighbor’s house who also lost a bridge. For six months without a way to access their home, the Johnsons used a wheelbarrow and wagon to haul groceries from the car they parked at Neil’s mother’s house nearby.
The volunteer team, made up of Moles and men from Clinton Baptist Association, showed up in March to install a new driveway in a day. Tammy arrived home that afternoon with doughnuts for the volunteers just as the group was finishing. She had tears in her eyes as she hugged the men before climbing in her car to make the first official crossing of the new bridge.
“Having the bridge built by this amazing group was so life-altering for us,” said Tammy who added that the new bridge will allow emergency services to access their home if needed. “We’re truly grateful and feel so blessed to be given such a wonderful gift.”
The Johnsons’ bridge is one of 52 installed by Moles and his team of volunteers. Moles, who retired from owning and managing concrete plants, has volunteered with Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief for years. He became involved in bridge restoration and road re-building after God’s Warehouse Director Don Owens asked him to direct a team in East Tennessee following Helene. Their job has been to rebuild washed-out bridges, culverts and driveways.
Repairing a simple bridge can greatly improve the life of someone, like it did for Sheila Thompson of Trade, Tenn., an elderly woman whose driveway was completely washed away during Helene.
Moles said because of the loss, Thompson was carrying groceries and wood for her stove across the creek on a makeshift foot log that she made from salvaged boards. She’d almost fallen in the creek during one trip.
Because his team was finishing two other jobs, Moles installed a handrail for Thompson to make her trips across the creek easier and safer until they could start work at her house. Two weeks later, they finished her new bridge.
“We all watched as she drove her car across the new bridge to her house,” Moles said. “Sheila was so happy. With tears in her eyes, we all got large hugs. We helped her load firewood into her shed in 30-degree weather. She worked right alongside us. She was such an inspiration.”
Rebuilding the bridges involved different techniques depending on the location. For many, Moles’ team laid a foundation of telephone poles with pressure-treated lumber across it, secured with hundreds of lag bolts.
Their most challenging bridge spanned the river in Hampton.
For that one, the team welded two flatbed trailers together, carried it 83 miles on a semi-truck, placed it on concrete blocks using a crane, and covered it with flooring.
These bridges are built on site with donations from Tennessee Baptist donors. Moles said they received a grant for $233,000 from Mountain Ways Foundation designated for Johnson County where the majority of their work has taken place. They’ve also received grants from Tennessee Baptist Foundation and East Tennessee Foundation.
After six months with an incident command center of RVs and heavy equipment set up at Mountain City Airport, Moles said it was time for the team to head home and back to their families. Work will continue with grant money to pay subcontractors.
For Moles, rebuilding bridges following the storm was about more than just helping those gain access to their houses. It was about building relationships, too.
“Helping others is its own reward,” said Moles. “It’s humbling to lift up others who are hurting. I feel blessed to be able to make a difference in their lives,” said. B&R