Franklin Graham was at the dedication of two brand-new, upgraded mobile homes in the Asheville area, the first delivered by Samaritan’s Purse to families hit hard by Hurricane Helene.
Lidia Gomez escaped with her family as floodwaters, mud, and debris filled their Buncombe County, North Carolina, community last September. When they returned in the wake of Helene’s destruction, their mobile home was unrecognizable—filled with water and pierced by a tree that had crashed through the roof. In the following days, the home became filled with mold.
Franklin Graham greets Samaritan’s Purse volunteers at the dedication.
It was unlivable. Their belongings were ruined. What began as fear turned into despair as Lidia wondered how and where she would care for her three children. We first met the family as Samaritan’s Purse volunteer teams serving in Jesus’ Name helped Lidia and her family clean up their property, and salvage belongings.
The Gomez family was all smiles upon receiving a brand-new mobile home.
Since the long, harrowing hours of Hurricane Helene’s devastating sweep through the Southern Appalachians, Samaritan’s Purse has met many families like the Gomezes—struggling to make ends meet and uncertain how to rebuild their future.
On Friday, May 16, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham met with the Gomez family in Candler to encourage them from God’s Word and to dedicate a new, upgraded mobile home. The house was provided—paid in full—to the family by Samaritan’s Purse.
Franklin Graham points out the imprint on the Gomez home: "Given in Jesus' Name by Samaritan's Purse."
“All this has been provided by God’s people,” Franklin Graham told the family. “God has given it, and God’s given it through His people, the church. We thank God. We give Him the glory, and we give Him the praise.”
A Long Journey Toward Blessing
The Gomez family received the first mobile home provided by Samaritan’s Purse since the storm, one of two families to receive mobile homes on May 16—just a part of our ongoing work in the region.
Karina Ramos celebrates her new home with her children and a Samaritan’s Purse volunteer.
The Ramos family in Swannanoa, also in Buncombe County, received the second mobile home, a gift from Samaritan’s Purse that came to them at the end of a long journey.
Franklin Graham speaks to Karina Ramos during the dedication ceremony.
Jason Kimak, senior director of Samaritan’s Purse North American Ministries, prayed for the family.
“Father, we thank You that the Ramos family was able to get away from the storm as the water was coming up,” Kimak prayed, recounting the story shared by the family of their escape, their time in a local shelter, and their months-long ordeal relying on friends and family for a place to live.
Franklin Graham also met with the Ramos family as they received the day’s second mobile home. The Ramos family house was raked from its foundation during the storm. When they came back to where they lived, they saw nothing but ruined belongings and an unlivable home in tatters and filled with mold.
Franklin Graham admires the new home given to the Ramos family, thanks to the generous giving of God’s people for God’s glory.
Graham listened to the terrifying events of the storm and encouraged the Ramos family from God’s Word before celebrating the dedication of their new mobile home. Both families were given a Billy Graham Training Center Bible with signatures from our team on the inside cover.
“I was down here right after the flood and it was a mess,” Franklin Graham recounted during the dedication of the new home. “It was tough. I saw it. And we’re just thankful that you’re going to be in a brand-new home tonight. This is built to withstand many storms. We always want to thank God, because all of this comes from Him. And we give it to you in His Name.”
Karina takes a moment to enjoy the housewarming and baby gifts from Samaritan Purse.
After Brent Graybeal, assistant director of U.S. Recovery and Development for Samaritan’s Purse North American Ministries, presented the family with keys to their home and an invoice stamped with the words “Paid in Full,” Karina Ramos said she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“This means the world to me. It means a lot. I’m just really grateful that we have this new home. We didn’t know if we would have a home again,” she said. The family has been living in a camper since Hurricane Helene with a newborn, husband, and older children. “We lost our home. Now we’re starting all over again. It feels nice. God has shown Himself faithful to us with this new home from Samaritan’s Purse and in so many other ways.”
Ongoing Work in Jesus’ Name
Samaritan’s Purse has been hard at work in the region since the day of the storm, and our work is far from finished.
Franklin Graham signs a Bible for the Gomez family. Staff members and volunteers also signed.
Following months of relief work—including the distribution of emergency supplies and cleanup efforts—we began helping families replace their homes and belongings.
Volunteer teams and staff are actively repairing and rebuilding hundreds of homes that were damaged or destroyed—providing new permanent housing and new furniture for homeowners in need. As these long-term recovery efforts continue, they offer not only practical help but also a reminder to families that God has not forgotten them.
A volunteer make final preparations at the Gomez home.
We are also replacing hundreds of upgraded mobile homes, supplying campers for temporary shelter, providing new vehicles to those who lost theirs in the storm, and offering critical household items and gift cards to help families get back on their feet. The long road to recovery in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee requires a deep, sustained commitment of both people and resources for years to come.
Please join us in praying for the Gomez and Ramos families—and for many others across the Southern Appalachians who are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. Pray for strength, healing, and renewed hope as they rebuild their lives. Pray for many to hear and respond in faith to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Will Graham, Franklin Graham’s oldest son, prays at the Gomez dedication. Will serves as executive vice president and evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
