Helene rebuild in Fairview featured in Parade of Homes
When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina in the early hours of September 27, 2024, Kelly and Jerry Owensby’s Fairview home took a direct hit. Around 4:15 a.m., a massive oak tree crashed through their bedrooms, followed minutes later by another that destroyed the garage.
As windows shattered around them, the couple — along with their son and two dogs — escaped to the Fairview Fire Department. Two days later, they returned to find their home of more than 20 years twisted off its foundation and uninhabitable.
Help soon arrived in the form of Jack Sorrentino, the Owensbys’ neighbor. “My heart sank when I saw their house,” says Sorrentino, who helped cut away branches and tarp the roof. “I could sense the feeling of helplessness they were experiencing.”
What began as one neighbor lending a hand soon became a company-wide mission. In the months following Helene, Scroggs Construction Services — the Asheville design-build firm where Sorrentino serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing — launched a dedicated restoration division. The team has since completed more than 40 storm recovery projects across Western North Carolina, including the Owensbys’ home.
Working from the original blueprints, the Scroggs team helped the couple rebuild what they’d lost, this time with vaulted ceilings, an expanded porch, and a more open kitchen.
“Tearing the old house down was emotional. It was heartbreaking to watch crews take apart what we had built over the course of 23 years,” Kelly says in a press release. “But the home we have now is far beyond what we ever imagined. It’s beautiful, and Scroggs has done a phenomenal job.”
The Owensbys’ rebuilt residence will be featured virtually in the 44th Annual WNC Parade of Homes, October 11-12 and 18-19. Visit wncparadeofhomes.com.