Darin Cox, right, a surgical technician for Community Hospital South, talks with a Community Health nurse while collecting items at the hospital Tuesday for victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and Tennessee. Cox created an impromptu collection of supplies earlier this week, which he then transported himself to affected areas on Wednesday afternoon. SUBMITTED PHOTO
The images of abject devastation throughout North Carolina forced action — just as it had over and over after natural disasters in the past.
Darin Cox processed the destruction left in the path of Hurricane Helena a week ago. At his job as a surgical technician at Community Hospital South, he formulated a plan on how he could help. He would do whatever he could to help affected residents rebuild.
Then he’d drive down to the disaster area and get supplies to people in need.
“It’s something God has laid upon my heart, that I wanted to do,” he said.
Cox spent Tuesday and Wednesday mornings loading donations into his trailer, before leaving Wednesday afternoon for the region. He brought dozens of packages of paper towels, wipes, bleach, detergent and many other items, as Community South staff members and other donors helped him fill the trailer and the bed of his pickup truck.
His plan is to rendezvous with churches in the area, then doing whatever work is needed from the communities there.
“I know at times in the past, I’ve taken down truckloads of goods, and then I’ve stayed for two or three days to help wherever I could. That’s the plan here,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Cox has mobilized to offer help in the aftermath of disaster. Following Hurricane Katrina, he traveled to the New Orleans area, spending days in the back of a semi trailer loading bags of ice in people’s trucks all day long. He delivered supplies and helped with clean-up when floods struck Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Cox loaded up a trailer and traveled to help victims of tornadoes in Indiana as well.
“It’s one of my callings,” he said.
After seeing the damage done by the remnants of Hurricane Helena in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, Cox decided to once again pitch in and help. He reached out to fellow Community Hospital South employees, asking for any kinds of donations to haul to the area.
For four early morning hours on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, before he had to go into work, Cox waited in the parking lot to see if anyone could come. And they responded.
People pitched in to fill the trailer by the end. Paper towels were piled from the floor to the ceiling of the space, while packages of antibacterial wipes, multi-purpose cleaners, mops, buckets and more occupied much of the rest of the trailer.
Community Hospital South officials donated a pallet of water. So much was donated, Cox had to use the bed of his truck to haul the overflow.
“Everyone that could pulled through, and I’ll take down what we have,” he said.
Cox left Indiana on Wednesday afternoon. Much of the impacted areas of North Carolina are inaccessible, and officials warn groups not to travel there. So the plan is to head to the area of Erwin, Tennessee, which was also affected by flooding,and connect with churches leading recovery efforts.
“I’m not certain how far I can get in there,” he said. “Every time I go, I really don’t know what I’m getting into.”
Cox downplays the effort he’s making, pointing instead to the combined work being done to help the thousands and thousands of people suffering after the storm.
“There’s a lot of good people. It’s what brings communities together, to help. They get stronger for it,” he said.
