Exclusive: Lake Lure Mayor’s Claim of “No Loss of Life” Contradicted by Records

Local and state officials recounted the impact of Hurricane Helene at a screening and panel discussion on Sept. 30 at The Foundation at Isothermal Community College. The event featured Rising Above Helene, a documentary produced by 100 Strong Productions and the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, followed by a panel including Rutherford County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bryan King, Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett, Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O’Leary, Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg, Emergency Management Director Frankie Hamrick, and representatives from Duke Energy, NCDOT, Chimney Rock State Park, Habitat for Humanity, and the Governor’s office.

Panelists described the storm’s aftermath: impassable roads, washed-out bridges, and disrupted communications. Hamrick recalled, “We were told Friday that we were on our own,” as local teams scrambled until outside help arrived. Sheriff Ellenburg reported more than 1,100 missing persons calls, citing families unable to contact loved ones due to downed communication systems.

Infrastructure failures dominated the discussion. Pritchett acknowledged that Lake Lure’s century-old systems were “dangerously vulnerable,” while NCDOT engineer Jacob Zimmerman said reopening 1,100 county roads was an overwhelming task. Community organizations stepped in, with Habitat for Humanity’s Kim Freeman describing efforts to unload 572 relief planes and mobilize 800 volunteers.

Panelists also highlighted resilience and recovery. Chimney Rock State Park Superintendent James Ledgerwood recounted rangers rescuing families while raising a flag at half-staff as a symbol of hope. Sharon Decker, senior advisor for the Governor’s GROW NC initiative, closed the discussion urging continued community cooperation.

However, Mayor Pritchett’s statement that Lake Lure suffered “no loss of life” does not align with official records. Chimney Rock resident Lisa Peeler Brady died from landslide injuries and was found in Lake Lure five and a half days after the storm, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services death investigation report obtained by WCAB News. State officials report 108 fatalities across North Carolina from Hurricane Helene, including four in Rutherford County.

Attendance at the panel was significantly smaller than the roughly 1,400 people listed as “interested” on the county’s Facebook event, but those present received firsthand accounts from multiple officials. Rutherford County did not record the event, and County Manager Steve Garrison noted the film is copyrighted, leaving this reporting as the primary source for the discussion’s contents.