Photo: Peter Cade / Stone / Getty Images
Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and with all the fallen trees, flooding and washed-out roads, getting power back to the area hasn’t been easy. But when faced with the challenge of restoring electricity to the Asheville VA Medical Center, two lineworkers with Duke Energy went above and beyond to get the job done.
Matt Martinka and his apprentice, Nathan Curlee, couldn’t reach the veterans’ hospital by driving, but they were determined to get there. So the workers found a way, hiking three miles through “rough terrain” and mud to put in a temporary line and get power to the vets. In a video shared by Duke Energy on Facebook, they describe how they were able to get the difficult job done.
Matt, who has many military members in his family and is an Air Force veteran himself, says that motivated him to get the power on for the VA. Nathan adds that it feels good to give back to the veterans in their own way, since the vets have given so much.
“We are proud of Matt and Nathan for raising their hands to take on the important challenge of restoring the VA hospital in Asheville following the aftermath of Helene,” Duke Energy shares. “Their dedication is commendable, as is the commitment shown by thousands of teammates and workers from other utilities who have continued to support our customers and communities.”
Source: PEOPLE