“I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”  – Excerpt from The Road not Taken (Robert Frost 1915)

Convention has never been Badger’s strong suit.

As a landscape photographer evolved from an adventure hiker, I’ve tended to stray from the known to the unknown, collecting images of seldom seen scenes in the Southern Appalachians.

When Hurricane Helene ravaged the mountains of Western North Carolina, Upper East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia in September 2024, a personality trait borne of life experiences sparked yet another creative evolution.

Documenting the effects of the storm on the lives, infrastructure and terrain following the maelstrom soon ignited another passion, albeit an emotionally charged one – Rock Sprite Kitty Myers and I were indeed victims too.

My videos and stills of the highest recorded crest of the French Broad River in Asheville were ultimately featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Fox News. We had to rely on neighborhood sawyers cutting trees just to escape our neighborhood in order to eventually access the River Link Bridge adjacent to Asheville’s River Arts District. We watched as artwork, homes and other assorted debris flowed down the river. It was as heartbreaking as it was fascinating – my prior study of the similar Flood of 1916 was being repeated in real time and I was there to document it.

1916 picture

The Catawba River Lodge is about 45 minutes east of Asheville and following my father’s funeral in Nashville a week after Helene (yet another incredible story), I was able to make it to see my friends in the isolated North Cove area of McDowell County, North Carolina. What was found was unbelievable devastation occasioned by the usually placid North Fork of the Catawba River. The river there had risen 25 feet in places and had twisted a theretofore sturdy bridge that connected the numerous homes and residents of the Linville Falls Leisure Club community from the Lodge.

My friends Melissa Dean and Stefani Maehrlein took me to the twisted mass of wood, concrete and steel and despite the obvious danger we ventured onto it. An iconic photo of the 1916 Flood in the same area showing adventurers straddling railroad lines high above the river flashed across my mind at that moment. Immediately, I thought that our damaged bridge might serve as a reminder of the comparative raw power of two of North Carolina’s worst disasters. What I didn’t anticipate was the willingness of Stefani and Melissa to stand on the bridge as I scampered to a suitable perch and my shutter inevitably clicked.

The resulting photo was chosen by the Raleigh based nonprofit North Carolina Justice Center for the cover of their initial legislative packet for 2025: “We call on state leaders to act boldly — especially for our neighbors in Western, N.C., still recovering from Hurricane Helene.” Phyllis Nunn of the organization championed the photo to heighten continued awareness of the ongoing plight of those stricken by the 500-year geological event. I’m grateful for her support.

Melanie and Jeff and Riley of the Lodge announced: “Thomas, a photojournalist has been born.” I have always maintained that you never know what you’ll find when you take the road less travelled. Helene took so much away but ironically gave Badger another life opportunity. Embracing a challenge is undoubtedly in the DNA of the Fountain City Mabry clan.

Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images  Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at instagram.com/honeybadgerimages.