Last September, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, becoming the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. As heavy rains swept through the Appalachian Mountains, homes near Asheville, North Carolina, and beyond were demolished.

"Seeing it on the news is one thing, but standing there amongst it is hard to get your head around," Leicester resident John Saunby said about the debris from Helene.

Despite the damage, Saunby realized some parts might be worth salvaging.

He pulled his porch posts out of the wilderness, and found his kitchen floorboards inside an old cotton mill.

"The woods are full of treasure," Saunby said.

The items he retrieved from the woods were "headed to the landfill," but they have helped him build his dream house. Despite a h

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