3 days ago
‘Just unreal': Country music star, non-profit gift house to family who lost home in Helene
A non-profit, a country music star, and a knife company came together to provide a home to a family who lost their home in Hurricane Helene.
The Pogalz family watched as their Yancey County home was washed away in Hurricane Helene. And six months later, they learned FEMA wasn't going to help cover their costs to rebuild.
'We make too much money for help, and that's not fair, because the hurricane didn't ask us how much money we made before it took everything,' Ashley Pogalz told Channel 9's Hannah Goetz. 'So why? Why does it matter how much we make? We need help.'
The family shared their story with Goetz eight months ago as they hiked to safety from their home, and they caught the attention of a local non-profit.
On Monday, Goetz joined them again as they hiked to receive a surprise from the non-profit We Must Protect.
READ: 'We need help': Western N.C. family struggles to rebuild months after Helene
At the top of the hill, the Pogalz family stood on land they newly purchased with FEMA funds and flood insurance. There stood country music singer and Buncombe County native Chase Rice and Montana Knife Company CEO Josh Smith with news for the family.
'We raised quite a bit of money,' Smith said. 'We raised enough money to build you guys a house.'
And representatives with We Must Protect said they couldn't have done it with out support from the two.
'From the first day we met you all, we knew we wanted to build you a house, but our thing is we can't commit until we have the funding to finish the house,' one representative said. 'We are so grateful for what Chase and Montana Knife Company did because now we can build you the house that you need.'
Goetz watched as the teary family said 'I love you' and exchanged hugs.
'There's so many different things that came together,' Rice said. 'I'd say the number one thing coming together was God, putting all these people together to make this family finally have a home.'
The Pogalz family told Goetz they felt like they'd been slipping through the cracks and that they had no help. The family of six had been living in trailers, campers and two-bedroom rentals.
'I keep repeating, just unreal,' Danny Pogalz said. 'Never thought we would be in this kind of situation to begin with, and now, you know, we got knocked down, but now we're going to be ahead.'
We Must Protect said they will be working in western North Carolina to build homes until there are no more left to build. Or their funding runs out.
To participate in the Montana Knife Company's causes, visit their Come Hell or Highwater webpage.
WATCH: 'We need help': Western N.C. family struggles to rebuild months after Helene
