VILAS, N.C. — Joe Sherwood's Vilas home isn't in the same spot as it was before Helene tore through western North Carolina.
Heavy rain and loose soil combined during the storm to push his home 20 feet off of its foundation. And that slide sent a piano straight at him.
"A piano had come from the other room, pinned me for about three hours,” said Sherwood.
He said if it wasn't for his son Johnathan, he may not be alive today.
“He came down to check on me, and I hollered at him," said Sherwood. "He yelled at me, and he knew I was alive.”
Loose rock and dirt are common sights right now around Watauga County.
Multiple roads and bridges have been washed out like these near Vilas and Zionville.
Dealing with landslides themselves, the Cove Creek Volunteer Fire Department, whose crews helped get Sherwood to safety during the storm, had their power knocked out by one Friday.
Fire Chief Steve Marks says they’re staying vigilant, but said landslides and roads giving out are still something they worry about.
“Every day is a new day," said Marks. "The roads change, the riverbank changes. Folks who originally thought 'hey, I can stick it out for two or three days without power and without cell service' -- now that we're on day seven, [they] are becoming really despondent. That entire dynamic is changing.”
And while his car is leaning against his scattered foundation and his home is a loss, Sherwood says he is thankful to those who helped keep him alive.
“I thanked them, as they hauled me out on a stretcher," said Sherwood. "I said, You'll never know how much I appreciate what you done.”
Sherwood is planning on rebuilding his home on his property, but wants to build it a little closer to the road, and a little smaller.