Volunteer-built bridge in Candler, NC brings hope amid grief

The “Ashley West Bridge,” built by volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), was dedicated on Oct. 17 in Candler, North Carolina, bringing a sign of hope for a grieving father.

Located in the western North Carolina region hit hard by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the private driveway bridge was named for local resident Gregory West’s daughter, who passed away from a brain tumor in 1993, when she was only five years old.

When Hurricane Helene took West’s bridge, it cut off more than access to his home — it isolated him from easy access from his doctors, his church, his friends, and the help he needed to rebuild.

As volunteers and local residents gathered for the dedication, they remarked how surprised they were when Hurricane Helene “climbed the mountains” into the greater Asheville area.

Hurricane Helene killed more than 100 people and caused catastrophic damage in North Carolina, particularly in the western mountains, through extreme rainfall leading to massive flooding and landslides. Helene destroyed thousands of homes, and damaged tens of thousands more.

“With every bridge and bridge owner, there is a story,” said Phil Helmuth, who is coordinating bridge-building efforts for MDS. “Gregory’s story is one of loss, perseverance, and hope. To provide him with a new bridge was more than a construction project; it was a way to restore connection, dignity, and healing to a man who continues to struggle with health issues as well as grieve the loss of his daughter Ashley, gone too soon at the age of five. This bridge stands not only as a path over the water but as a symbol of shared hope, compassion and a community coming together.”

The new bridge is one of many being built through the partnership “Bridging Together” with Lutheran Disaster Response and MDS. Volunteers are building bridges that cross small creeks between the state-maintained roads and people’s homes in western North Carolina. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has estimated that 4,000 bridges in the area need to be rebuilt.

Read on and get involved with our North Carolina “Bridging Together” projects here: https://ldrcarolinas.org/bridging-together/