OCRACOKE, N.C. — In Ocracoke, North Carolina, neighbors had to watch their homes get torn down and gutted this week.
Hurricane Dorian destroyed buildings and left many with nothing. While many residents went through rubble looking for what was left behind, one woman decided to ride by and help out.
Traci Ball said that after she lost everything, she started riding her horse Ella from house to house, trying to help others.
“I'm going to do it from the kindness of my heart. I ask, 'what do you need done?' I'm going to come in here and do it for you,” said Ball.
Ball said that she wanted to help others when she saw piles of debris lined up on the streets.
"To see people's possessions thrown out on the side of the road is sad. Some of the stuff up here is over 100 years old and it's just totally destroyed,” said Ball.
Ball herself, lost everything to Dorian’s floodwaters, but during the hurricane, she went to rescue others.
“I got my kayak and see if everyone else is okay. We had everybody accounted for, we got people off the roofs of their houses, out of their attics,” said Ball.
Ball said that when she got back to her camper, everything was destroyed.
"It can't be fixed, it's just all in pieces. But still, it was my house. My home,” said Ball.
Disaster recovery volunteer Gregory Brown said he couldn't wait to help Ball.
"I was ecstatic once I actually met her. Everything that she has torn was up, her camper and everything, we came over here to help her out and we brought a volunteer crew for her, and she was at the neighbor's house helping them clean up,” said Brown.
Brown's team helps during natural disasters by tearing things and putting the pieces back together.
"The most important thing is that we've been able to help people box up their items, and we’ve been able to package, clean and salvage things they didn't think they would be able to salvage,” said Brown.
Unfortunately, nothing was salvageable for Ball. However, Brown said her attitude through it all is an inspiration.
“She's the prime example of one neighbor helping another,” said Brown.
As for Ball, she said that she’s just happy to be alive.
"In a way I'm lucky. It was rough, but I had my horse, and I had my health,” said Ball.
More Hurricane Dorian News:
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- RELATED: Frying Pan Tower's flag flown during Hurricane Dorian sold to raise money for NC communities
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- RELATED: New procedures for ferry access to Ocracoke Island after Hurricane Dorian
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