Around lunchtime on Friday, September 27, Atlanta native Andrew Link looked out the window of his family home in Vinings, a suburb just north of the city, watching the rising water from the Chattahoochee River. “When I saw that all the mailboxes were completely underwater on my street, I knew I would be able to get out there in my boat and that I needed to check on my neighbors.”
Between Wednesday and Friday, Atlanta had received an unprecedented 11.12 inches of rainfall, an amount that broke the previous record of nearly ten inches that was set in 1886. Across the state, Hurricane Helene inflicted historic damage and claimed fifteen lives.
In one of many examples of neighbors helping neighbors across the hurricane’s path, Link sprang into action. While piloting his jon boat down the streets—which he estimates to have been submerged in up to twelve and a half feet of water in spots—he saw branches, a crane, and nearly submerged cars. “There was so much debris backing up to the Chattahoochee River, and the water was rushing fast with downed trees,” he says. “I was a little scared for my safety, and for anybody who might not be able to get out of their houses.”
For the next three hours, Link boated around, focusing on the houses that had been left surrounded completely by water. He offered to bring water and food to anyone who needed it and check if any neighbors wanted rides out of their homes. In some cases, he ferried people who had escaped before the storm to see their houses and assess the damage. “I talked to and rode around with people I’d never met before, and it really brought the neighborhood together,” he says. “I was just happy to see that people were safe.”
Here’s how to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene
