• Shelley Henderson

An Unlikely Hero Emerges after Helene: The Story of a Boy, His Bike, and His Community

Buncombe County, NC (October 11, 2024)--If you travel through the mountains northeast of Asheville, you might catch a glimpse of 11-year-old Connor pedaling furiously up the mountainside. You could say he’s a man on a mission—a mission to check on his neighbors and deliver much-needed supplies and hot meals to people whose power has not been restored. Many of the roads leading up the mountain remain blocked by fallen trees or are completely washed out, making vehicle travel almost impossible. Connor's daily delivery service has become a lifeline for many.

Connor has a basket on the front of his bike, but to expand his carrying capacity, he keeps handy a cardboard box and some bungee cords to put on top. He visits The Salvation Army mobile feeding unit stationed in his community several times a day to pick up hot meals and cold drinks, which he delivers to his neighbors on the mountain and to workers helping rebuild the community.

“We have gotten to know Connor during the week we've been serving here,” said Barbara Still, a disaster relief worker from The Salvation Army of Greensboro. “In addition to being a great kid, he’s a son, a hunter, a fisherman, and an awesome big brother to his sister. We have added one more title to his name—Hero. He’s out here working tirelessly, riding his bike through these trails to help his neighbors.”

"Connor is always helping others," said his mom, Carley, with a smile. "He loves people and his community."

Before Helene devastated the town Connor has called home his entire life, he was an ordinary 11-year-old. But in the wake of the storm, an unlikely hero emerged. Connor says he will still be navigating the trails and delivering supplies as long as his neighbors need him. The Salvation Army will be there, too, working alongside Connor and his community.