When Hurricane Helene carved its path through the mountains and valleys of East Tennessee, it left behind a trail of heartbreak and loss.

But it also revealed something else: the strength of community and the incredible resilience of people like Brandon and Alex Welch.

Born and raised in Cocke County, Alex Welch has deep roots in East Tennessee. Her husband Brandon, a Newport native and U.S. military veteran, returned home from serving in Iraq to marry Alex and settle on their farm. Together, they built a life – raising animals and building up Alex’s dance studio.

On the morning Hurricane Helene struck, everything changed.

Instead of fleeing, Brandon and Alex spent the entire day rescuing their livestock, moving horses and other animals to whatever dry ground they could find. And their

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