LAKE LURE, N.C. – A dog can teach us many life lessons. 

For Moose, it’s that joy can bloom even in the darkest hours.

The North Carolina beagle, once lost and grieving after Hurricane Helene, continues to inspire his new family and those who cared for him following a natural disaster that no one could ever imagine.

The ferocious storm ripped through his world nestled in Lake Lure’s foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains nearly two months ago, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. His family – his safe haven – was killed after his home was swallowed by Helene’s rage.

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The remnants of a home are seen in Lake Lure, North Carolina, October 2, 2024, after the passage of Hurricane Helene.

(ALLISON JOYCE/AFP / Getty Images)

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Glimmer of hope arrives

In the days following the nightmare, neighbors took turns caring for Moose, even as they faced their own struggles of being without water and power. During that time, Moose was viciously attacked by a pack of wild dogs. His condition was dire, requiring immediate medical attention.

It was thanks to one of those caring soles who called Triangle Beagle Rescue in Raleigh to get the care he desperately needed. The team of volunteers would soon offer a glimmer of hope for Moose, agreeing to take him in as soon as a foster home became available. 

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Moose lost his home and family during Hurricane Helene.

(Tara Lynn)

The devastation in western North Carolina weighed heavily on Tara Lynn’s heart. She yearned to help but struggled to find the right way. She and her husband toyed with the idea of fostering another dog from TriBeagles, but nothing seemed quite the right fit.

Then, Moose arrived, and it felt like destiny.

“I just felt like God said, ‘Okay, this is your role, and step up and love on my little dog,” Lynn told FOX Weather.

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‘Trust the journey’

After being rescued from the mountains and undergoing surgery, Moose was a shell of his former self. But his eyes, filled with hope, were fixed on Lynn, his new savior. With her love and care, he would begin to heal. 

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Moose was a shadow of his former self after his rescue and surgery.

(Tara Lynn)

Moose was a fighter, a survivor, and his spirit, though wounded, remained unbroken. As he recovered, his playful side emerged, bringing joy to those around him.

As Lynn documented in her blog on Moose’s recovery, she noticed his tail beginning to wag again, and his spirit was full of playful energy. In it, she reminded others that happiness can be a choice, even when life seems overwhelming. 

“Whether we’re dealing with trauma or loss, healing is a slow process that requires patience, but we should trust the journey and give ourselves grace,” she adds.

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Moose and Tara Lynn enjoy the sunshine ouside their home in Cary, North Carolina.

(Tara Lynn)

Reunited with the mountains

Now, a new chapter unfolds for Moose as he continues to heal from his physical and emotional scars. A family in Leicester, near Asheville, immediately recognized the urgency of Moose’s long-term needs and opened their home to him back in the mountains.

It was already a safe place for two other beagles from TriBeagles, and despite the potential challenges of adding another to their family, they knew Moose was a part of their community and needed to be brought home.

Moose found his new forever family outside of Asheville.

(Triangle Beagle Rescue of NC)

Lynn said her four weeks with Moose were a celebration of second chances, a symbol of hope for many in western North Carolina still recovering from Helene.

“When life turns upside down, it’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay to lean on the kindness of others,” she said. “Don’t face hardships alone; the warmth of friends or even strangers can be the lifeline we need.”

Today, Moose finds a second chance at life with joy in the little things – napping in the sun, snuggling in a cozy bed and exploring the smells of his new world. Thanks to Lynn and his new owners, he has also found safety and peace again.

“In a fast-paced world, we often forget to pause,” Lynn said,” and simply appreciate the peaceful moments and simple pleasures life has to offer.”

Certain residents in North Carolina’s Avery and Mitchell counties are at risk of facing winter without the ability to heat their homes, after Hurricane Helene dismantled the area’s only kerosene station. 

Rhonda Jean Kowald and her nonprofit, the Western Carolina Emergency Network, stepped up to help deliver heating fuel to local firehouses in the area to distribute to those in need, but supplies are already running out. 

The volunteers are now racing against the clock to supply emergency fuel before winter sets in, which would pose an even greater risk to vulnerable residents, according to Kowald.

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“They’re going to be in a really bad situation,” Kowald said. They started out with over $271,000 in donations. As of Wednesday, they have $50,000 left, which would only cover a week and a half of fuel, Kowald said.

“Donations are dried out because most of the news cycles have moved on,” she said.

Paul Buchanan, emergency management director for Avery County, said the dismantled Quickmart station, serviced by Exxon, supplied kerosene to local gas stations in the area. It also did home delivery. 

FOX Business reached out to Exxon for comment. 

Buchanan said other companies have been able to deliver fuel to homes, but some areas are still too damaged to get to. 

North Carolina Sen. Ted Alexander told FOX Business that “the importance of helping to provide heating fuel, including kerosene, and home heating oil cannot be overlooked or overstated during this time.”

Alexander said that fuel for warmth is just as important in helping people rebuild their lives.

Quickservice gas station in North Carolina that was hammered by Hurricane Helene. (Rhonda Jean Kowald )

In early October, Kowald and scores of volunteers drove more than 4,000 gallons of gasoline from Asheboro to areas across Western North Carolina, which had been hit hard by Helene. 

Kowald said they started by filling up cars that were stuck on the side of the road as well as generators before creating fuel hubs. 

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They “found out about the fuel heat crisis in the area,” while setting up one of their gasoline hubs in Avery, Kowald said. 

Shortly after, they began setting up hubs for heating fuel at several fire departments throughout the area, so the supplies wouldn’t be misappropriated. 

“It is winter time in the mountains and people shouldn’t be trying to dig out their homes from feet of mud while freezing because they have no way to properly heat their homes through kerosene heat or generators,” she said.

A fuel hub that Rhonda Jean Kowald and her team of volunteers set up Avery County, North Carolina.  (Rhonda Jean Kowald )

Buchanan said gas stations have started to get kerosene deliveries. However, Kowald said her efforts are still necessary, saying they delivered 3,000 gallons of heat fuel this week alone. 

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“There is still so much need we haven’t even tapped into yet,” she said. “We’re getting inundated with messages of people asking for help and for deliveries because they’re either elderly or can’t get out.” 

Kowald is especially concerned about elderly people and those who are in hospice care or disabled, as well as those who have lost their car and can’t drive to get fuel.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — NASA astronaut and two-time NC State alumna Christina Koch is being awarded North Carolina’s highest civilian honor.

Koch, along with five others, will receive the North Carolina Award for Science. The award is given to people who have made significant contributions to the state and nation in fine art, literature, public service, and science.

Koch is being recognized for science and will be presented the award by Gov. Roy Cooper at a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14.

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Koch grew up in Jacksonville, and earned her B.S. in electrical engineering and physics from NC State in 2001, followed by an M.S. in electrical engineering in 2002.

In 2019, she broke the record for the longest continuous time in space by a woman.

To learn more visit here.