In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a TikTok shared by Emily Singleton documented the absolutely dire conditions in which Appalachian communities navigated the disaster. The film follows Singleton’s friends Josh Johnson and Graham Ivory as they work together to save something more valuable than gold for new mothers: breast milk.
according to peopleSingleton explained that the day after the hurricane, her friend Logan Avery was busy conserving breast milk and contacting her parents, who had a generator. They ran into trouble when rising waters in North Carolina’s Roaring Creek destroyed the bridge connecting their home to their town, leaving the couple stranded.
“The day after the storm, Logan and Graham were trying to figure out how to preserve her breast milk and escape to her parents’ house where they had a generator,” Singleton told people.
“This bridge [outside] Their house has [become] Inaccessible due to extremely high water levels, they had to stagger over fallen trees to get out. This is clearly not a viable option to safely remove a heavy-duty cooler containing frozen meat from the then-defrosted freezer to keep breast milk cold.
So once Graham reached the other side of the flowing water, he and his brother-in-law Josh gathered all the rope they could and pulled the cooler across the now-raging Roaring Creek.
Singleton joked in the caption: “@Yeti, sponsor us”
As Singleton explains, not only did the pair use the creek as a makeshift highway to transport milk from one side to the other, but (on a brighter note) the rapids also temporarily helped keep the milk cold , Singleton said this option is available to others considering if they find themselves disempowered.
“If you’re in a situation like this where you don’t have a generator … creeks and rivers and springs can keep milk cold for days, which is what all of us grandmas and grandpas had to do growing up,” Singleton said.
To clarify, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends storing freshly expressed breast milk at room temperature (77°F or lower) for up to 4 hours; in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; or in the refrigerator for about 6 months.
After the video went viral, people praised the friends for their strength and perseverance.
“Wow this is crazy, you all did a great job and I’m so sorry you have to deal with this,” one user said.
“As people from Appalachia, this is a testament to our ingenuity and courage,” another wrote.
Another chimed in: “I know mom is so grateful. What an amazing testimony you all will have when this horrible situation is over!”
To learn more about how you can assist with Hurricane Helene relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts, Click here.
