The wrath of Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction in Asheville, North Carolina, claiming lives and leaving families devastated. Among those affected was Shirley Rotolo, a 55-year-old mother who tragically died of a suspected heart attack as her helpless family watched, unable to call for help due to the hurricane’s impact on cell service.
In the chaotic days that followed the storm’s ravages, Shirley ventured out in search of supplies and witnessed firsthand the destruction of her beloved hometown. The stress of the situation seemed to overwhelm her, and on the morning of September 28, while the family was trapped without cell service, Shirley passed away in her arms. His daughter, Nausica, now describes the last ten days as “pure hell,” as she struggles to organize a funeral from an Airbnb amid the chaos, it reported. ABC11.
“Mom loved Asheville. She always said it was the place where she had the most friends, where she loved her job and where she was happy. I firmly believe that if this hurricane had not happened, she would still be here,” Nausica shared. In a sense homage in a GoFundMe pageThe family expressed their pain: “We are in denial.
Our mother was our home and we lost her as we watched the hurricane devastate our hometown. “The horror of this last weekend will remain with us forever.” They described Shirley as “a magical, passionate, determined and inspiring woman, with the best sense of humor, who always makes us laugh.” They asked the community for support, saying, “Now that she is gone, I hope that as a community we can take care of her family like she always did. Please give me everything you can. “Anything will help.”
Meanwhile, another family is facing a similar nightmare after Kim Ashby was torn from her husband’s arms when their home was razed. Kim and Rod Ashby had just finished building their dream mountain home in Elk Park, North Carolina. The couple had visited their home before the storm, intending to secure it before the hurricane hit. Their children, Chris and Jessica Meidinger, shared that their parents “didn’t know this was going to be what it was going to become,” as Helene ravaged the southern states, leaving 166 people confirmed dead.
On Thursday night, Kim assured her children that they were safe in the house, which Rod had built 12 feet higher than the record flood level. But on Friday morning, a loud crack echoed through the house as a structural beam gave way. The couple ran to higher ground but were trapped in their room with their three dogs when the waters engulfed them. The house was swept away and when it hit the river bank, it collapsed around it.
Clinging to each other, Kim and Rod tried to withstand the powerful floods, but were eventually separated when the current slammed them into a tree. Rod was found alive 24 hours later, but Kim was still missing. Chris explained, “That’s what broke them up and he couldn’t keep her.”
As the community deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the stories of Shirley Rotolo and Kim Ashby highlight the heartbreaking toll natural disasters can take on families, upending lives in an instant.