After delivering several of my framed prints this week for display and sale at the Switzerland Cafe in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, Badger was traveling back to Asheville when Old Glory was seen flying along the Asheville Highway on what has become a ubiquitous “flagpole” throughout Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
After asking for permission to access his property to take a photo, the proprietor – who identified himself as Jim – exclaimed “well, you’re that guy who has taken all those photos in Yancey County showing the world our damaged land. Don’t stop, we need all the help we can get!”
When I responded that his flag got my attention, Jim said “it’s not fancy, but we love it and this flag and that flagpole tell a story all by themselves.”
Indeed, they do. The women and men and the equipment they have used to help get us back on our feet from that awful storm will always be respectfully remembered. We won’t forget Helene, and there’s much more work to be done, but Western North Carolina is back in business, as are other affected locales in the Southern Appalachians, due in large part to people like Jim.
Badger’s role was and continues to be to raise awareness. There’s more to this tale, and I’m blessed to be able to document it.
Happy 4th of July 2025!
Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images
Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at instagram.com/honeybadgerimages.
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Badger has kept the Blue Ridge in my mind with his images of the beauty of the Blue Ridge and the destruction that so devastated the area. We were hesitant to return but the mountains were calling and Badger’s documentation showed that we would not hamper reconstruction by our presence. So, we were back in May and were so happy to be there. So much has been restored in such a short time; yet, tears were shed over the scars that still remain. I encourage potential visitors to go…but check with the BRP website, visit with a Park Ranger, speak with your hotel staff, or just talk with the residents who are working to make your visit go well. Things change day to day, but the area is still heavenly and restorative for the spirit!
I love this picture, worth a thousand words. It isn’t just ordinary. It’s extraordinary because it captures something that any person, American or otherwise, understands. Love and Resilience.
Thank you for reminding us.