Former state Sen. Deanna Ballard has seen firsthand the devastation of Hurricane Helene and will be telling the recovery stories from western North Carolina for North State Journal.
MITCHELL COUNTY — Eighteen-year-old Brody Miller stood amidst the wreckage of downtown Spruce Pine in the immediate days after Hurricane Helene tore through Mitchell County. He’d never seen such violence in his hometown before. No one had. The impact of the storm was far more devastating than he’d realized. With a renewed sense of duty, he knew his community needed him now more than ever.
On Friday, Sept. 27, Helene dumped more than 2 feet of water on Mitchell County and surrounding areas within a 24-hour period. Miller and his family jumped into action, helping those who needed it most in their Grassy Creek community. Together with his father, brother and other neighbors, they cut debris from roads, bridges and culverts. But it wasn’t until days later, when he arrived at an overwhelmed supply drop-off center, that he understood the full scale of his community’s needs.
Miller joined friends and family as the community tirelessly ran wellness checks to every corner of the county. On one such mission a few days after the storm, Miller was directed to the old Harris Middle School, where volunteers were storing an overflow of supplies. In what he remembers as a chaotic scene, he watched donations arrive from all across the country by van, truck and helicopter. But there was a problem: No one had started organizing anything for distribution. Enter one willing young man.
“I jokingly tell people I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but really, it’s the opposite,” Miller said with a laugh, his sense of humor still intact as he remembers stepping up to organize supplies in a scene straight out of an apocalyptic movie.
By the following day, Miller was in charge of opening and organizing the new distribution center. As he joined the force of volunteers working to bring order to the chaos, Miller found himself stepping into the role of donation coordinator. He worked 12-hour days with others like himself to ensure the needs of his community were met. A self-proclaimed “yes man,” Miller quickly became the go-to contact for volunteers, supplies and community needs. He worked tirelessly alongside county officials to facilitate supply drop-offs, collaborate with out-of-state emergency response teams and organize the overwhelming waves of supplies arriving hourly.
Miller praised county officials like magistrate Zach Peterson for their resilient response to the long recovery ahead.
“You learn a lot by watching people,” Miller said. “And luckily, here we’ve got so many great people you can model yourself after.”
Under Peterson’s mentorship, Miller embraced his first major leadership role. He took special note of how these courageous leaders remained calm in the eye of the storm. He watched them move mountains, quite literally, to offer relief to the people they serve. Most of all, Miller learned it’s just as important to ask for help as it is to give it.
“I’ve grown up a lot in the past month,” he humbly admitted.
A recent graduate from Mitchell High School in May, Miller has always been well known in the community. In addition to being a member of Mitchell High School’s 1A state champion golf team from 2022-24, Miller was a three-time Farm Bureau Insurance Sportsmanship Award Winner from the NCHSAA in men’s 1A golf. He started his business studies at Mayland Community College in August.
After working on the grounds crew at Grassy Creek Golf Course, Miller had previously settled on applying to an online turfgrass management degree at Penn State. Yet, much like the rivers of western North Carolina, which have shifted into new shapes and courses after the flood, this storm has reshaped Miller’s path forward.
The service-minded young man finds deep fulfillment in helping his local community and feels he’s finally discovered a meaningful direction for his future. While many peers left Mitchell County for school or jobs, Miller is committed to finishing community college in the rugged yet picturesque landscape of his rural mountain town. Though his official position as donation coordinator is temporary, he hopes to secure a more permanent position when he finishes school. Much progress has been made, and streams of nonlocal volunteers and donations have slowed to a trickle. But Miller continues working tirelessly with his team. At one point, he was coordinating efforts across 46 donation sites. Now, just six weeks later, sites have been consolidated into two remaining donation centers at Harris and Deyton schools.
Associate Superintendent Jennifer Gregory takes pride in Mitchell County’s homegrown youth leader, saying, “Brody has become a leader in the disaster relief effort in Mitchell County, always willing to help when there is a need.”
To him, Miller’s sacrificial response to hurricane relief efforts doesn’t make him special.
“Right now, you’re either helping or you’re getting help,” Miller said. “I’m the one getting picked out of a crowd, but it’s been the same for everyone. We’re all in this together.”
Local teachers have been among the most consistent volunteers, selflessly serving while they waited for school to resume. Mitchell schools reopened Nov. 7, and Miller is concerned the relief efforts will lose much of their volunteer base. Communities hit hardest, like the Mineral City, will need continued support for meal and supply distribution, demolition and reconstruction. For those interested in joining the relief efforts in Mitchell County, the Volunteer Reception Center can be reached at 828-660-0818.
Miller hopes other young adults recognize that even the darkest times can lead to unexpected opportunities. His message to the rising generation is clear: Embrace life as it comes; you never know where you might end up.
Reflecting on the strength of mountain people, Miller said, “This storm has proven to me that there are still good people in the world.” For Mitchell County, local heroes like Miller are setting the example by building a legacy of resilience: stories of young people stepping up to lead, rebuild, and bring hope to the places they call home.
“I now have the passion to pay this forward.”
