“BACK WHERE WE BELONG”: AN EAST TENNESSEE COUPLE’S RECOVERY AFTER HURRICANE HELENE
DANVILLE, VA. (September 2, 2025) – When Hurricane Helene carved its path through the mountains and valleys of East Tennessee, it left behind a trail of heartbreak and loss. But it also revealed something else: the strength of community and the incredible resilience of people like Brandon and Alex Welch.
Born and raised in Cocke County, Alex Welch has deep roots in East Tennessee. Her husband Brandon, a Newport native and U.S. military veteran, returned home from serving in Iraq to marry Alex and settle on their farm. Together, they built a life – raising animals and building up Alex’s dance studio.
On the morning Hurricane Helene struck, everything changed. Instead of fleeing, Brandon and Alex spent the entire day rescuing their livestock, moving horses and other animals to whatever dry ground they could find. And their efforts extended out, too.
“We helped our neighbors,” Brandon told. “Five of them had to be airlifted out by Medivac, but we stayed behind. We were afraid we wouldn’t be able to get back to take care of things if we left.”
When the storm finally passed, the true weight of the destruction became clear.
“The next day… it was different,” Brandon recalled. “It looked like a roller coaster. [Railroad] Tracks with nothing under them. Houses on the rails. A thousand bales of hay scattered from us all the way to the Douglas Dam probably. We had to kayak out to get water from her grandmother’s house.”
Their home was destroyed and so was Alex’s dance studio. The couple was unsure of what would come next – until God’s Pit Crew stepped in.
Nearly a year after the storm, Brandon and Alex were handed the keys to a brand-new, fully furnished home on their original farm property – provided at no cost to their family.
For Alex, the new home means more than shelter – it means healing.
“It’s been a relief to be back on the farm where we belong,” shared Alex.
Brandon was stunned when he stepped into the new house for the first time.
“Some of the things they picked out… it was like they knew what we would’ve chosen ourselves, without even knowing us. I think they were there right before our doublewide was demolished – nothing but walls. But you look at the inside of this new home, it’s got a lot of similarities to what we had.”
To the volunteers and donors who made their home possible, Brandon said, “Every one of them is more than welcome to come here! I’d like to see them come back just to enjoy – to see the prosperity that has come along with what they’ve done.”
This year alone, God’s Pit Crew has provided 29 homes to individuals and families left displaced by Hurricane Helene and other severe flooding events across the Southeast. Additional housing efforts are still in progress in multiple areas, as well.
“Stories like Brandon and Alex’s remind us why we do what we do. It isn’t just about providing a house – it’s about restoring hope,” said Randy Johnson, God’s Pit Crew President. “None of this would be possible without the incredible volunteers and generous donors who make it all happen.”
