Last Updated on April 14, 2026 7:41 pm
A Valle Crucis neighborhood cut off for weeks by Hurricane Helene finally has its permanent bridge back.
A dedication ceremony was held Monday for a new bridge in the Valle Crucis community, replacing a structure that was destroyed when Helene struck western North Carolina in September 2024. The original bridge, built in 1966, was more than 110 feet long and had served the neighborhood for decades before floodwaters swept it away entirely.
The new bridge was built with support from Samaritan's Purse, the international Christian relief organization based in Boone. Edward Graham, grandson of the late Rev. Billy Graham, serves as chief operating officer and oversees the organization's international and domestic operations. A plaque on the bridge's railing reads “Given in Jesus' Name — Samaritan's Purse.”
A thank-you plaque on the bridge lists Sharon Breitenstein, Joe Hollar, Tom Hollar, Greene Construction, Areté, FEMA, and Samaritan's Purse among those credited with making the project possible.
Sharon Breitenstein, whose family lived through the aftermath of the bridge's destruction, was among those present at Monday's ceremony. According to a report from WFMY News 2, after Helene hit, the river behind their property rose 25 feet above normal, washing out the bridge and leaving the neighborhood isolated. Residents relied on ATVs, tractors, and farm equipment to navigate in and out for more than two weeks.
The bridge was one of several low-water bridges in Watauga County that are vulnerable to flooding. Watauga County has received hundreds of requests for private road and bridge repairs in the wake of Helene, with dozens of projects in various stages of design and construction.
Photos: Edward Graham/Facebook
Photos: Kenneth Reece/WataugaOnline
