When Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina last month, it left destruction everywhere it touched. For one family, the damage went far beyond their property — they watched their home and their beloved cat, Blanco, get swept away in the rising floodwaters.
Camille and David Collins first met Blanco earlier this year, after discovering him curled up and sleeping inside a compost bin on their farm. It didn’t take long for the shy white stray to warm up to the family’s eight members.
“I remember petting him on the head, and he immediately started purring,” Collins told The Dodo. “After a few more days, all eight of us were able to pet him.”
Blanco slipped seamlessly into life on the farm, visiting each RV that family members lived in and joining in on hikes. He adored lounging on Camille’s mom Marilyn’s porch and seemed to know everything happening on the property at all times.
But on September 26, everything changed without warning. Helene intensified too quickly for anyone to prepare, turning the quiet river beside their farm into a deadly surge within minutes.
Camille’s mother-in-law, Nan, and brother-in-law, Jonathon, were the only two home when floodwaters began rising at an alarming pace. As they rushed to move cars and belongings to higher ground, they suddenly spotted a shocking sight:
Blanco was perched on the roof of Marilyn’s RV — and the RV itself had started to float away.
“He must’ve jumped up there for safety,” Collins said. “But the floodwaters took the RV, and it collided with the neighbor’s house.”
Blanco tried desperately to jump to safety. Jonathon watched helplessly as the cat slipped off the roof and into the swirling water. He ran to save him, but downed powerlines cut off his path.
Believing he had drowned, the family was heartbroken.
“Jonathon and Nan felt absolutely helpless,” Collins said. “We had little hope he survived.”
Days passed with no sign of Blanco. But then — eight days after the storm — a miracle emerged from the hills.
“Jonathon saw a white cat,” Collins said. “He meowed back when called but stayed out of reach.”
Nan brought food and spent nearly an hour coaxing him down. Finally, Blanco stepped onto the wreckage of their barn and allowed her to touch him.
“He closed his eyes and purred as if it was his first time being pet,” Collins said.
The moment she confirmed it was him, the family raced back to the property for an emotional reunion. Blanco was thinner and tired — but alive. And he went right back to his old habits: following the family around, quietly asking for pets, and rubbing noses with their dog, Dora.
The Collins family is now rebuilding from the ground up — their farm, their homes, their routines. But knowing that everyone survived, including their resilient miracle cat, has given them strength to keep going.
“All of us made it out alive,” Collins said. “We’re determined to rebuild our family farm — and Blanco insists on staying right by the wreckage.”
Those wishing to help the Collins family restore their farm can contribute to their GoFundMe.
