Linville Caverns reopened in 2025 after sustaining damage from Hurricane Helene and months of recovery work, including waterway debris removal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Marion, North Carolina, June 15, 2025. The mission helped restore access to the natural attraction and protect the surrounding area from long-term environmental impacts (U.S. Army video by Kaylee Wendt).
For more than 250 days, John Fay provided consistent leadership for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Private Property Debris Removal mission in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Serving as a zone manager, he helped coordinate rotating teams and oversaw key operations across 16 counties. As the mission nears completion, his efforts reflect the scale and complexity of long-term disaster recovery.
