The roof was damaged, but it was standing.
She was oblivious to what was going on in the world and just happy.
Were you able to?
Credit:ABC/Michael LeBrecht II
And the floodgates just opened.
I just started bawling live on national television.
I knew that people were tuning in that morning not knowing about their loved ones.
And I knew what that felt like because that had been me.
She also knows how important it is to support impacted communities long after the news cycle has passed.
Hurricane Helene caused an estimated $60 billion in damage to Western North Carolina.
If it seemed possible, we said yes, said Leah Wong, President and CEO of Highland Brewing.
We had nine different communities here at one time.Beloved Ashevilleis still operating out of the brewery.
Now, six months later, tourism is down around 40 percent.
Leah Wong outside Highland Brewery.
Her message to viewers is a rallying cry.
Ashevilleis rising, they’re open for business.
This is what I want people to know, she toldSouthern Living.They rely on tourism.
And there are people who feel that.
It really is showing people how they can be of assistance.
Its so important for them to know that theyre not forgotten, she said.
