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Neighbors warned him that the house, nestled on a cul-de-sac near a small creek that feeds into the Catawba River, had flooded before, but Camp said the insurance company told him it was at a low risk for flooding.

The only option to get flood insurance came in at more than $500 per month, Camp said.

Almost 10 years later, Camp now shares the house with his fiancée, Shanna Derrick, and their kids, 7-year-old Watson and 3-year-old Wilder. He had not had any problems with flooding. The family has built memories in the home, and Camp just spent a year renovating the kitchen. He was planning to renovate the bathroom next.

But when Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina on Sept. 27, Camp was worried water would overtake the home. He checked on water levels every couple of hours, and at 7 a.m. left the home with the kids to wait in the lobby at UNC Health Blue Ridge where Derrick was working.

The storm was over by the afternoon when Camp went to check on the house. Everything seemed fine at first, but while the skies were clearing, the water was rising — inching closer and closer to Camp’s home.

“It was really bizarre to see,� Camp said.

He recalled throwing toys in the kids’ downstairs playroom on top of shelves, hoping it would save them from the water damage. Instead, the water climbed to the top story of the house. The only things that could be saved was anything left on the top shelves of the bedrooms above the garage, Camp said.

“(I was) kind of in disbelief, really,� Camp said. “I just never thought it would get that high. … I’ll walk through the house and I’m at just a loss for words, really. All the memories and times I’ve had with my family in here. The kids have known this house their whole life.�

The night of the storm, Camp’s family stayed in a hotel that was without power or water, like most everywhere else in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. Unable to move back into the waterlogged house, the family has since signed a short-term lease for a one-bedroom apartment while they try to get their house back together — a process Camp thinks will take months.

All of the drywall and insulation has been ripped out of the garage and main living area of the house. Most of the insulation and drywall has been ripped out of the bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level of the home.

Camp leaves windows open and fans blowing in an effort to dry out the home before he can get started on repairs. A contractor told him it would likely cost up to $100,000 to fix everything, but Camp hopes to do some of the work himself. He applied for some funding from FEMA and appealed the initial offer, so he’s waiting to find out how much help the organization can provide.

In the meantime, Camp said his family is trying to remember the silver linings.

Ripping out the drywall and insulation led the family to discover some termite damage and a slow water leak from the roof, and the kids have had some fun going on a treasure hunt for all their belongings strewn outside the house. He said Derrick joked that they’ve been wanting to declutter for a while.

“We’re still humbled by the experience and blessed to be alive,� Camp said.

He said his family has been grateful for all the help from their relatives, friends, neighbors and strangers.

“It’s been a crazy few weeks, but again, we’re still blessed,� Camp said. “We have our family, our safety and our house. I just can’t imagine what some of these other folks have been through, hearing horror stories about landslides taking people, people being stuck for weeks without power and resources.�