(NewsNation) — Hurricane Helene has devastated lives and families across the southeast, and while Stephanie Zara and her family lost their home it could have been worse.
Hundreds of people are still missing as hopes of finding them dwindle. More than 200 people have been killed since Helene made landfall in Florida over a week ago.
Like much of western Carolina, Swannanoa was hit hard by Helene and caused much damage to the Zara family home.
“We were in complete panic,” Zara told “Morning in America.”
“So I was able to get a distress call out to 911 when the water started rushing in. When I got through, they were telling me they were overwhelmed with calls, and they just told me to get to high ground.”
Once realizing their attic was no longer a safe place, the Zaras had to swim through their home to get on the roof. It was there they waited until a neighbor came through on a kayak to save them.
“It was by a complete miracle,” Zara said of their survival. “I’m beyond grateful for my community, and we would not be here without our neighbor, John, specifically, who had the kayaks and had the forethought to rush into action.
“He trained another neighbor on the spot how to use the other kayak, and they just immediately, was like they were just a rescue group. It was amazing. What they did for us.”
Zara and her family will rebuild in Swannanoa, but did not have flood insurance so are relying on assistance from FEMA.