Fragile Memories Reborn from Mud and Ash
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in September last year, Taylor Schenker (27) witnessed the devastation wrought upon Asheville, North Carolina.
Less than a week after what was dubbed the second “deadliest storm” to hit the U.S. in 50 years, Schenker decided to take action to help ease the loss.
Schenker recovered over 500 photos and returned at least 70 to residents of Asheville after Hurricane Helene (Photo: AP).
While helping a friend search for belongings washed away by the floodwaters, she stumbled upon several mud-caked photographs tangled in tree branches or trapped beneath rocks along the riverbank. These images captured family reunions, newborns, weddings, birthday parties, pets, and school portraits.
“The photos had survived the disaster and miraculously washed ashore. Their quality was good enough to be recognizable,” Schenker shared.
To fulfill her mission, Schenker created a social media account using keywords like “photos from Hurricane Helene” to locate the owners of the lost pictures. She set up a P.O. box and collaborated with a team of volunteer search-and-rescue workers.
Eventually, they discovered over 500 photos, which Schenker described as “small needles in a haystack.”
When Schenker found her first photo, she was so moved that she burst into tears. Since then, she has successfully returned more than 70 photos.
Among them, a stack of pictures was handed directly to Mary Moss—whose car was destroyed by a fallen tree—as she and her husband evacuated their Asheville home, where they had lived for nearly 40 years.
“At first, I was utterly astonished when Schenker gave me those photos. I couldn’t even speak. I never expected something as fragile as a photograph could be recovered,” Moss said.
Months later, the couple received support from organizations and found temporary housing, gradually rebuilding their lives with donations from their church.
But some things are irreplaceable, like the photos of their son Tommy, who passed away at age 12 due to a genetic disorder.
“When they lost their home, they lost almost all evidence of this child’s existence,” Schenker reflected.
A photo of brothers Tommy and Dallas playing together at daycare (Photo: AP).
Among the photos Schenker found nearly 5 kilometers from the Moss residence, Tommy, aged 2, appeared angelic in a Christmas pageant. In other moments, he wore toddler outfits or played at daycare with his younger brother, Dallas.
“This is something the storm couldn’t take away,” Moss said, her voice trembling.
Behind the Lost Photographs
Over 3,200 miles away, at the foot of the Altadena hills in Los Angeles, Claire Schwartz (31) began collecting photos with a similar idea.
After the Eaton Fire, rain poured down, mixing with ash, creating a caustic sludge that threatened to destroy photographs.
“Someone had to act immediately to save these photos,” she thought.
Schenker categorizes the recovered photos by themes (Photo: AP).
Equipped with a gas mask, gloves, and boots, Schwartz quickly got to work salvaging the images. She applied techniques learned during her internship at the Corita Art Center.
Joshua Simpson, a photographer who lost his home and studio in Altadena—an area left looking apocalyptic by the wildfires—shared his story.
“The first thing we found was a beautifully classic photo of my mother-in-law holding my wife as a newborn. The black-and-white image carried even deeper emotions because my mother passed away just months ago,” Simpson said.
The couple was deeply moved when they recovered the keepsake, feeling as though “a bit of magic” had occurred.
Surviving disasters like wildfires or hurricanes often leaves people grappling with profound losses. Yet, such tragedies can also bring out the best in humanity.
“You know, I could either laugh or cry about it, and I choose to smile. Thankfully, we didn’t lose the most important thing—our lives,” Moss confided.
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