Recently, Hurricane “Helene” devastated a large area in the southeastern United States, resulting in over 200 fatalities, making it the deadliest storm to hit the continental United States since Hurricane “Katrina” in 2005. More than a week later, in the severely affected remote mountainous region of western North Carolina, a special team composed of mules is assisting in delivering supplies and rescuing stranded disaster victims.
After the onslaught of Hurricane “Helene” in the southeastern United States, as one of the hardest-hit areas, Asheville, North Carolina, still has thousands of residents disconnected from outside contact, with many roads destroyed and communication lines cut off, severely hindering official rescue operations.
To aid in delivering supplies and rescuing trapped residents, many civilian volunteer groups and individuals have stepped up to participate in the relief efforts, including the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch. Under the leadership of Mike Toberer, the company has been using mules to transport essential supplies such as food, water, and medication to the rugged mountains of western North Carolina.
“People typically refer to them as pack animals, but we call them our beloved mules,” the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch wrote in a Facebook post. “They have the capability and willingness to work in extreme conditions with complex terrain.”
In addition to transporting much-needed supplies, on October 1st, they partnered with the non-profit organization Cajun Navy 2016, based in Louisiana, to assist a family in urgent need of ice (to cool insulin).
Driven by these diligent “four-legged helpers,” more and more civic organizations and companies are joining the rescue effort. A livestock transport company named “Five 11’s” volunteered to help transport mules to expand the transport team for delivering more supplies. Meanwhile, one of the largest grocery retailers in the U.S., Tractor Supply, provided a trailer filled with livestock feed, dog and cat food, as well as essential human supplies for humanitarian aid.
Furthermore, many local residents have donated a large quantity of goods and rented equipment to help build a road for the mule transport team, allowing them to deliver water and supplies to the hard-to-reach community of Laurel Ridge.
“Watching so many enthusiastic people lining up as a long queue, passing resources bag by bag, box by box, crate by crate, was a touching and heartwarming scene,” the Mountain Mule Packer Ranch wrote on Facebook. “Everyone voluntarily gathered together for a common goal, each person was teary-eyed and choked up.”
The company emphasizes that contrary to common belief, mules are not stubborn animals; in fact, they are quite intelligent. “Throughout their long professional careers, they have served in various roles—from carrying camping gear and fresh game to towing carts and agricultural equipment, to assisting in training the finest special forces in our military, and transporting weapons, medical supplies, and even injured soldiers,” the company states.
According to the company’s website, Mountain Mule Packer Ranch, headquartered in Mount Ulla, North Carolina, with over thirty years of transportation experience, specializes in traversing extreme terrains, providing pack animal services for high-altitude regions or areas inaccessible to humans.
Although the past few days have felt long for the mules and staff responsible for distributing supplies, they remain spirited.
The Mountain Mule Packer Ranch stated, “The disasters faced by the western mountain regions have broken all of our hearts, but what excites us is that even in the midst of sadness, we still see so many kind-hearted people extending a helping hand under God’s guidance.”