Governor McCrory Awarded Good Samaritan Award for Helping North Carolinians Impacted by Hurricane Matthew | Eastern North Carolina Now

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    Press Release:

Samaritan's Purse commits to building 20 homes for flood victims

    Boone, N.C.     Governor Pat McCrory was presented with the Good Samaritan Award tonight by Franklin Graham to recognize his efforts to help North Carolinians during the response and recovery from Hurricane Matthew. Tonight, Samaritan's Purse committed to building 20 homes for North Carolinians whose homes were destroyed by flooding.

    "I am extremely honored to receive this recognition, but I am not here to accept this recognition, I am here to help communicate the needs of over 40 counties and thousands of individuals that were impacted by the worst natural disaster that North Carolina has seen in our lifetime," said Governor McCrory. "Throughout this disaster, we have seen the best of North Carolina. We have seen humanity, incredible resilience, heroism and compassion of the first responders and volunteers helping those in need. Hurricanes tend to impact those who can least afford it. It is those people we must move to lift up as quickly as possible. We will rebound and we will come back even stronger because we are resilient people and we have faith."

    Governor McCrory has been traveling throughout the state to survey damage and meet with local residents and officials impacted by the storm. Along the way, the governor said he has met many people who have inspired him.


    In Princeville Governor McCrory met Fire Chief James Powell. When Chief Powell and his crew saw a car underwater, he jumped in with a rope tied around his waist. But as he went to rescue the stranded driver, he wound up underwater himself. He was under for an entire minute. But thanks to heroic actions from Powell and his team, he and the stranded driver were saved.

    Governor McCrory was also in Fair Bluff earlier this week where he visited Troy Johnson for the second time. Three weeks earlier, he met Johnson while his neighborhood and the rest of Fair Bluff were underwater. This week, even though he was still living in a shelter, he came back to his neighborhood to show Governor McCrory the damage. As they looked at his belongings and the belongings of all his neighbors destroyed out on the street, Johnson wanted the governor to know that taking a picture with him three weeks ago lifted his spirits and helped him carry on.

    The governor closed by saying that the recovery process will not be completed in a matter of weeks or months, but said he expects the recovery to take years. He encouraged North Carolinians to help in the relief efforts by making a financial or other contribution. Monetary contributions to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund for Hurricane Matthew can be made by texting NCRECOVERS to 30306 or by visiting NCDisasterRelief.org. This is one of the best ways to help fund long-term recovery efforts.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov