The Long Road Home: A Story of Survival, Resilience, and the Fight to Rebuild
Premiering on Very Local, the documentary follows families and volunteers as they confront the long, uncertain journey back to normal life.
Premiering on Very Local, the documentary follows families and volunteers as they confront the long, uncertain journey back to normal life.
Twelve months after a devastating landslide and flooding tore through western North Carolina, hundreds of families remain displaced, their communities fractured and daily lives upended. The Long Road Home, a new documentary produced in partnership with Hearst station WXII, captures the voices of survivors still searching for stability — and the volunteers fighting alongside them.
“We Just Want to Go Home”
What once were bustling neighborhoods are now empty stretches of land. More than 60 homes were lost, and with them, the daily routines that bind communities together — school drop-offs, morning commutes, neighbors greeting each other across fences. One survivor sums it up simply: “You don’t see your friends every day. You don’t get up and go to work anymore. And the biggest thing is, we all want to just go home.”
That yearning is at the heart of the film. The documentary doesn’t just tally losses; it puts faces to the devastation and voices to the struggle, reminding viewers that recovery is far from over.
A Community Still in Pieces
Twelve months later, many families remain unhoused, unemployed, and without access to basic necessities like clean water and reliable power. Recovery efforts continue, but for many, the progress feels painstakingly slow. Volunteers and nonprofit groups work tirelessly, yet the need still outpaces the help.
As the documentary shows, resilience is not just a slogan — it’s a daily reality. Neighbors support each other in small but powerful ways, from delivering food to helping clear debris. Their determination is a testament to North Carolinians’ strength, even in the face of enormous challenges.
Watch the Premiere
The Long Road Home premieres exclusively on the free streaming service that brings local stories to a national audience. The film is presented in partnership with whose journalists have been on the ground covering the disaster since day one.
