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WNC Voices: The Howard Family Story
Grace by Example has been given the privilege to help the Howard Family whose home was flooded out on the South Toe River during Hurricane Helene.
Credit: Story reproduced from “Report on Damaged Homes on S. Toe River” Sponsored by Mt. Mitchell Baptist Church by Rhonda and Jeff London
The Journey Behind
Matt, his wife Dawn, and their three sons lived on the same street as Barry Eckard and Judy Haynes Johnson. After the flood, they safely relocated to Matt’s father’s house, located on higher ground nearby. Sadly, their home was completely flooded and later condemned by the County.
The Aftermath
In the wake of the destruction, Matt—who is both a professional mason and a full-time pastor—began rebuilding. He and his brother co-owned land on White Oak Road, where Matt started constructing a new home just weeks after the storm. The new home is being built on the same property as the church he pastors.
Holding on, Moving Forward
Much of the work on the new home has been done by Matt himself. His plan is to eventually pass on his masonry business to his son and devote himself fully to ministry and disaster recovery work.
As of May 30, 2025, most of the house is complete, and the family is living there. Landscaping is underway with support from Suber Road Baptist Church, though a few construction-related bills remain.
Matt and Dawn are settling in well and continuing to work toward financial stability.