This weekend marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene's devastating path through Western North Carolina, a disaster that claimed lives and changed communities forever.

Two years later, many Western North Carolinians are still waiting for stable housing and rebuilt infrastructure. We're grateful to our community partners as we continue working together toward long-term recovery. As we reflect on Helene, it is important to remember that disabled people are far more likely to be negatively impacted by disasters due in part to inaccessible infrastructure and exclusion from planning. True recovery and future disaster preparedness must include disabled people from the start. We must prioritize accessible evacuation, alerts, shelters, and recovery efforts. Anniversaries of disasters of this magnitude are painful. Please be gentle with yourself today and reach out to your communities for support. Image: Anchorage Nurse Assists in Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts, thetundradrums.com