SOUTH TOE, N.C. —For people in Western North Carolina, the sound of helicopter blades fill their memories, not only of Helene, but the hope that came in the days and weeks after the storm.

“You know, without those private citizens bringing those supplies in, really early on, I think we would have been where we were seeing more mortality,” said Zac O’Donnell.

O’Donnell is a firefighter at the South Toe Fire Department. He says it’s still hard to think of how cut off their community was from the outside world.

What You Need To Know

 When Helene hit Western North Carolina, entire communities were cut off from the outside world

 By day two, Greg Biffle got in his private helicopter and started delivering aid across the mountains

 First responders say he brought medical supplies, chainsaws, generators, food and water to the most remote cut off communities

Biffle continued to return back over the last year to check on the small communities and continue to bring them aid

“It was blocked off at the one in between here and and the main municipality, Burnsville,” said O’Donnell. “Just about 15 miles away. And then the other direction, too, we couldn’t go down the mountain, so we were truly cut off for, you know, that first day.”

But by day two, help had arrived. Thanks to NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his friends.

“I’m pretty sure Greg dropped off these helmets, actually, these chainsaw helmets,” O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell says Biffle and his crew continued bringing aid to the rural mountain community.

“He was very clear that, you know, he just wanted to assist his fellow North Carolinians,” said O’Donnell. “He wanted to be on the ground.”

It wasn’t just South Toe and Yancey County. Biffle stopped his helicopter all over Western North Carolina.

“He had a big crew come in and take notes on, you know, what was needed in the areas. And then they just flooded our area with all kinds of necessities that everyone needed,” said Fairview Fire Battalion Chief TJ Hill. “Not just for us, but stuff for us to hand out as well.”

Fairview engineer Samuel Lightle grew up a huge NASCAR fan, and recognized Biffle immediately.

“Like I say, I mean, I love the sport and seeing somebody given in the position he’s in, given what he gave and the time he gave,” said Lightle. “Just so selfless, I mean, it meant a lot to this community and all the communities in western North Carolina.”

But the aid didn’t stop after October. Stephanie Johnson with Rebuilding Hollers says he continued to deliver aid, visiting multiple times to check on how recovery efforts were going.

“The personal resources that he used and his connections to bring awareness to what happened here. I don’t think people would have known how bad it was, and how much we desperately needed help. If it wasn’t for him telling the whole world,” Johnson said.

The news of his death has been absolutely devastating for the people in the mountains.

“He touched so many lives and, you know, I just pray that he knows how thankful we are that he advocated for us,” Johnson said. “Because when other people forgot and when other people had moved on, he did it. He kept coming back.”

Losing not only a racing legend, but a community hero in the mountains.

“We should learn from, from Greg’s example and, and really help out when we can,” said O’Donnell. “You know, make sure that the people in our communities are taken care of, when, when there is struggle and when there’s, you know, hard times. Especially whether it’s a hurricane or, or anything else, that’s really important.”

Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.