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Wedding Party Rescues Horses And Other Animals Left Behind During Hurricane Flooding

October 3, 2024

What started as a wedding celebration in Ashville, North Carolina, quickly turned into a daring animal rescue during the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.

Kelsey McDonnell shared a now-viral video on TikTok, showing the heroic actions of the wedding party after discovering that the venue had no plans to save the animals trapped in rising floodwaters.

@kelseytmcd

With quick thinking and teamwork, the wedding party sprang into action.

“We had to use a chainsaw to get the goats out of their shed. The water was already over their backs and rising fast,” Kelsey recalled.

As the situation grew more urgent, the groom and the bride's cousin waded through chest-deep water to break down the fence, freeing the horses that were in grave danger.

@kelseytmcd The wedding venue in Swannanoa told us to let their animals d*e rather than let them out of their areas. We couldnt stand by and watch as 8 farm animals drowned or got swept away by debris. We had to use a chainsaw to get the goats out of their shed. The water was already over their backs and rising fast. The Groom and the Brides cousin then waded out in chest deep water to break the fence and let the horses out. Unfortunately the small donkey didn’t make it after watching him swim for his life for over two hours. #ashville #ashvillenc #helene #hurricanehelene #appalachia #flood #westernnc #swannanoa ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box - takaya

Thanks to their brave efforts, most of the animals were saved just in time.