Tanya Franklin moved to western North Carolina 17 years ago when "these mountains literally called me to come here. I've met many folks who have said the exact same thing. The magic and ancient memory held in the water and the quarts of these mountains helps us to heal and remember what we have."

In September Hurricane Helene brought intense rainfall and flooding to her homeplace. Since then she and her neighbors have been "steeped in overwhelming sadness, devastation and a complete state of shock and despair. For those of you who aren't here to witness this I don't think you will see in the news just how bad it really is. But many beautiful people have lost absolutely everything. Many have perished. And many are still missing and unaccounted for."

She made this beautiful film to fill in the gaps left by news reports. It is homage to connection to place, and the power of love. "No matter who you are or what you believe in, regardless of your race, creed, culture, religion or even political affiliation, we do everything we can to help one another like family.”

It is also a warning. "I beg that you be mindful of this serious wakeup call. It no longer matters where you live in the world, you are not immune. This is not meant to put you in fear but to urge you to step into your power now and get your house in order. These are times unlike any that we have ever known, with continued threats of hurricane, tornadoes, wildfires and earthquakes yet to come. Natural and unnatural disasters are and will be common occurrences for everyone."

VIDEO: HURRICANE HELENE — A Love Letter To Appalachia ♡