An embalmer worked by flashlight as the floodwaters rose
An embalmer worked by flashlight as the floodwaters rose
Plus: Building permits for SouthEnd tower; Brewery for Cotswold?; Mecklenburg college applicants can have fees waived; Early voting continues; Inside the catering industry
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In his own words: Lonnie Denny was dressing bodies and putting them in caskets on the day Hurricane Helene rolled in; he’s tended to only 1 victim, but he worries about what the stress of loss will do to flooding survivors
Lonnie Denny (shown here in the Ashe County funeral home where he works) says he found a calling tending to the bodies of the deceased because it taps into his talents as an artist, and it helps grieving families by seeing their loved ones in the best possible condition after death. “It’s the first step towards closure — just knowing and seeing their loved one in that state seems to help a lot of people,” he said. (Photo courtesy of Lonnie Denny)
Lonnie Denny works as an embalmer at a funeral home in the Ashe County town of West Jefferson, and when the floodwaters began rising from Hurricane Helene, Denny cared for bodies by flashlight until it was no longer safe and he was forced to head for home.
Denny, 54, is a West Jefferson native who moved with his wife to Trenton, Ga., in 2013 to be near his grandkids. He returned home in 2022 to be closer to family and to continue his career in the funeral industry.
He spoke with Ledger contributor Palmer Magri recently about what it was like trying to tend to the deceased as the flooding was happening, what he makes of rumors about the number of victims who have died as a result of the floods, and his concern for the long-term impacts the crisis may have on the people of his town.
His comments are edited for length and clarity.
Remembering that day
That morning [the Friday the flooding began], it was already bad as my wife and I both — she’s a nurse — we’re both trying to make our way to where we needed to be [at work]. We had been extremely busy ever since August. We were just, I guess, in that season where we’ve had a lot of people passing away, and so I had several people in the back that needed attention and work done.
The pressure is unbelievable, because our lights were flickering that morning, and you’re trying to get these bodies ready. And finally, the power went out. At that point, I had a co-worker with a flashlight, holding a flashlight while I tended to bodies. I was dressing and casketing them.
Our road that goes into the funeral home — we have two sides, and a creek was coming up over the lower side. And so at that point, we said, “We just have to go. We have to quit.” And so we kind of just abandoned ship at that point.
I came home. I live in a condo in West Jefferson. I’m on the upper level. I have neighbors who live below me, and our parking lot flooded probably 3 feet. Some of my neighbors downstairs started getting water coursing into their units. In town, that’s kind of how it was. Our power was out, not out like everybody else — [after] just a few hours it came back on.
At the funeral home
We didn’t have an issue with bodies [decomposing] in the cooler, because our power came back on later that day. Bodies that require us to hold without embalming are stored in a cooler.
So the power going off won’t cause a body to instantly break down. If the door is kept closed, then it should be fine for the near future. You wouldn’t want to leave them too long, of course. Decomposition is determined by environment. Warm, wet conditions cause the body to break down at a higher rate than being cold or even dry. Think of mummies in Egypt.
We can embalm when the power goes out. It’s kind of an arcane system, but it’s the original embalming way that developed during the Civil War. It’s called gravity-fed embalming, and we have a tank with a hose on it that we can hang at a certain height depending on the [cadaver’s] body weight [allowing embalming fluid to flow into the body].
We don’t have to have electricity. We did have people at work the following Saturday, and we had a funeral on Sunday. We were very fortunate to still be able to serve our community through all of this.
On tending to one flood victim
I honestly don’t know the details. I just know that it involved her and her husband being in a Jeep that got, I guess, just in a flash flood. … It just took her away.
On rumors of high death numbers
I don’t believe [rumors that thousands have died as a result of the flooding] are true. One reason why I would say that is because we have established communication through the county now, and we’re not getting these large numbers of people reporting missing people.
On learning of the devastation
Watching the storm waters rise was terrifying. There’s just a part of you that just can’t believe it's actually happening. It just felt so surreal.
As I was able to get back online later that evening, I started getting pictures in from Lansing [another town in Ashe County], which is my mother’s hometown, and just started seeing the devastation. It was just so incredible and overwhelming.
And then my first thought goes to, how many people have passed? How many people are lost right now or have been swept away? And, you know, as a funeral professional, that’s a big question for us, you know, how are we going to manage this if it turns into a crisis?
Yeah, and we’re just so grateful that that hasn't happened. You know, thankfully, it hasn’t, but we’ve still got a long ways to go, so we still don’t yet know what the impact is going to be, I guess.
On the long-term effects
We’re still busy. Now my concern is not so much about hurricane deaths as primary deaths, but secondary deaths. When people have lost everything, the stress of all of that really starts to hit home.
I’m worried about our neighbors and their health. I have truly been surprised we didn’t have more deaths. But my concerns now are the side effects from the hurricane. People have lost everything, and the stress of that can be devastating.
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You can follow the recovery in the N.C. mountains with The Ledger’s new pop-up Mountain Updates newsletter, which is published several times a week.
Today’s supporting sponsor is Landon A. Dunn, attorney-at-law in Matthews:
Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers: Permits issued for big South End project, a brewery in Cotswold?, Camp North End apartments almost ready
It’s time once again to step into the latest irresistible edition of Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers, where the city’s most sizzling land deals, rezonings and developments are artfully unwrapped. Get ready to be captivated by the most heart-pounding insights into Charlotte’s real estate landscape, where every transaction is a tantalizing secret and every revelation is a thrilling affair.
In today’s Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers column, available exclusively to Ledger paying members (🔒):
Building permits have been issued for the site of a planned 31-story office tower in South End, an indication that the mixed-use project might be getting ready to break ground
Is Cotswold Village Shops about to get some new food and beverage tenants, including an outpost of a local brewery and a specialty grocer?
Land sales info you haven’t seen, including a local brewery’s production facility, retail on North Tryon and land for townhouses in the South End area
Checking in on Camp North End’s first apartments
If you love rewritten press releases and are enthusiastic about waiting for official statements and confirmations, well, you’ve got plenty of other options. But if you want to know what in-the-know real estate folks are talking about, check out Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers, stat.
Some N.C. colleges are waiving application fees because of Hurricane Helene — including for Mecklenburg students
If you have a high school senior, you might be interested to know that several N.C. universities are waiving admissions fees and pushing back application deadlines because of last month’s big storm — including for students from Mecklenburg.
Mecklenburg is included as a “FEMA-designated Hurricane Helene County,” which means applicants from here can get in on the relief. Details vary by school, but it’s worth checking out. For instance, N.C. State says on its admissions website that it is pushing back its early action deadline to Nov. 15 from Nov. 1 for students from “affected areas,” including Mecklenburg, and waiving the $85 application fee. Other schools say they are waiving fees for students from families who suffer financial hardship from the storm.
Separately, there are also fee waivers available this week for students applying through the College Foundation of North Carolina. Details here.
Mecklenburg was mostly spared by the storm, but there was an area near Mountain Island Lake that experienced severe flooding.
Lining up to cast a ballot
The voting scene on Friday at SouthPark Library. Early voting continues this week, with 33 polling sites open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can find locations and details at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. More than 90,000 Mecklenburg voters have cast ballots since Thursday, although Mecklenburg’s turnout so far is lagging the state average, according to WFAE. If you want to geek out on early voting numbers, check out the John Locke Foundation’s easy-to-use vote tracker.
➡️ You can find helpful information about every candidate on the ballot with the Ledger’s Election Hub.
🎧 New podcast episode: Inside the catering business
In 2019, Melissa Sutherland made a dramatic career shift, leaving her role as a bank executive at Bank of America to join Best Impressions Caterers as the company’s chief operating and financial officer.
Her move from a global financial institution to a small catering business offered her the chance to take her expertise to a new industry, she says, helping the company expand from a single location in Charlotte to three, including Raleigh and Charleston.
But just as she was settling into her new role, the Covid pandemic hit. Big events like weddings were suddenly canceled — and so was the food for them. The caterer had to innovate to find new ways to generate revenue and keep kitchens running during the shutdown, like a home delivery service.
Sutherland discusses all that and more in the latest episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast with host Steve Dunn.
This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is presented by Trinity Episcopal School, marking 25 years of creating scholars, nurturing spirituality and embracing diversity in Charlotte's center city. Learn more about the admission process for the 2025-26 school year and register for an open house at TESCharlotte.org.
The Charlotte Ledger Podcast features conversations on local topics including business, nonprofits, education and more. It’s available on major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We have more than 100 episodes — find a topic that interests you!
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TUESDAY: “Coffee with the Chamber,” 8:30-9:30 a.m., Summit Place at SouthPark, 2101 Runnymede Lane. Join the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce for an invigorating morning event that brings together coffee lovers and business professionals from across the Charlotte area. Whether you're a startup founder, a seasoned executive, or just a morning person, this event is the perfect opportunity to brew new connections and spark innovative conversations. Free.
THURSDAY: “My Breast Friend's Wedding Benefiting Go Jen Go,” 6-9 p.m. at the Hyatt Centric Southpark. Join us in supporting a truly unique and magical women's business networking and fundraising event supporting Go Jen Go. Wedding attire (the more brides the better!) encouraged. $50.
SUNDAY: “Biketoberfest,” 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Triple C Brewing Co. Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest presented by City of Charlotte is Charlotte's biggest — and most fun! — biking event of the year. Explore the city, visit local businesses, win prizes, and enjoy time with friends. $45.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
Earnhardt land development: Teresa Earnhardt, the widow of the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, plans to transform 399 acres of her rural property in east Mooresville into an industrial park. The Mooresville Technology Park would be located near Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt's longtime racing headquarters. Mooresville's planning board is scheduled to consider the rezoning request at Tuesday’s Mooresville Board of Commissioners meeting. (Observer)
Teen arrested: A 16-year-old suspect was arrested in South Carolina in connection with the shooting of a 17-year-old in Ballantyne. The suspect was charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. The victim, Aryan Singh Jaswal, was found dead in his car. The shooting occurred in a quiet apartment complex, and police are seeking information from witnesses. (WCNC)
Campaigning in the Charlotte area: Former president Barack Obama will visit Charlotte on Friday to campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. The location of his appearance hadn’t been announced as of Sunday night. Donald Trump campaigns tonight in Concord at the Concord Convention Center. (WSOC)
Art in Salisbury: There’s a collection of artwork by Monet, Kandinsky and Picasso on display in Salisbury through August 2025. (WFAE)
Hornets unveil ‘theme’: The Charlotte Hornets have unveiled a theme for the 2024-25 season: “Hive Mentality.” The team says the phrase “is designed to be inspirational and uniting, inviting the city and fans across the Carolinas and beyond to understand and rally around the team’s renewed energy, mindset and bold vision for the future.” The team’s season opener is Wednesday at the Houston Rockets.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman