November 14, 2025 • 17 mins
What does it look like to turn heartbreak into a habit of help? We sit down with Barbara and Joey Brown, the couple behind Crosses for Hope, whose storm-side response grew from chainsaws and cedar into months of heavy equipment, rebuilt driveways, and hope restored in Bat Cave, North Carolina. Their story starts with a simple pattern they heard at every door—“I’m fine, can you check on my neighbor?”—and becomes a blueprint for resilience powered by community.
We trace the origins of their cedar crosses, crafted not as public religious symbols but as private beacons that say tomorrow can be better. As seasons changed and resin wouldn’t set, the mission shifted to what the mountains needed most: fuel, a dually, a trailer, and boots on the ground to move excavators, set culverts, and stabilize homes. The Browns even traded a treasured ’79 custom Corvette to keep the work moving. Along the way, they focused on veterans, seniors, and families who lost everything, reminding us that real recovery isn’t a headline—it’s a thousand small wins.
We also share a clear-eyed snapshot of the local real estate market—more homes sold year to date, softening prices, and easing rates—and frame it with a simple truth: life happens, therefore real estate happens. Whether you’re downsizing, relocating to be near family, or starting a new chapter after the storm, your next move should protect your wealth, preserve your legacy, and keep your freedom intact. This conversation blends heart and logistics, from neighborhood grit to practical steps for navigating change with purpose.
If this story moved you, share it with someone who needs a lift today. Subscribe for more hometown hero spotlights, leave a review to help others find the show, and reach out if you’re ready to chart your next chapter with clarity and care.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is
celebrating 10 years on WHKP.
The George Real Estate Group iscelebrating 10 years on the
radio live every Thursdaymorning at 1005 on WHKP 107.7 FM
and AM 1450, and streamingonline at WHKP.com.
(00:24):
Each Friday morning at 8.45, theGeorge Real Estate Group
presents the Hometown Hero Awardto someone in our community who
goes above and beyond to makeour hometown a better place to
live.
Here's this week's Hometown HeroShow.
It's 8.45 and uh time now forour George Real Estate Group
(00:49):
Hometown Hero Series on Fridaymorning, the highlight of the
week for uh a lot of us aroundhere, including Noah George.
And it's so good to have youback, Noah.
How are you?
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
I'm great.
So much to be thankful for, andit's a it's a privilege and
honor to sponsor the HometownHeroes series uh every Friday
morning.
It's the highlight of my week.
SPEAKER_01 (01:09):
Well, uh, you had a good fill in yesterday or last
week, rather.
Uh Taylor was here and she did afantastic job.
She can talk some real estate.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
She certainly can.
I told her she did she didbetter.
I mean, for someone been throwninto the lion's den, I mean, she
did awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
I didn't do that well the first time I was ever
on the air, I promise you.
SPEAKER_00 (01:32):
That's for sure.
But just grateful.
Again, we're here every Fridaymorning.
We're also here every Thursday,right after the 10 o'clock news,
sharing positive news about thelocal real estate marketing
community.
And uh, you know, the I I wantto say we have an open house
this Sunday at 1600 Orchard Parkin Flat Rock.
It's an amazing uh farmhouse.
Uh it's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
I looked at that and I used to live uh um around the
corner down there.
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
It's an awesome property.
Right.
Um and that's gonna be open thisSunday from one to three.
And of course, uh, and we alsohave uh 73 Wisdom Cove in
Hendersonville open this uhSunday from two to four.
You can see all this on oursocial media and Facebook, and
uh you know, just want to makesure to get a plug-in for that.
But the real estate market isstill moving.
I mean, like we've actually hadmore homes sell you know year to
(02:19):
date this year than last year.
And and it's just moving and theprices are softening a little
bit, but the you know, interestrates are are they came down a
little bit.
I mean, like so I mean all thesethings, but we know regardless
of prices, regardless of theeconomy, regardless of I mean,
uh the interest rates, lifehappens, therefore real estate
happens.
And so no matter what, and andwe certainly saw that, you know,
(02:42):
and people obviously with allthe incredible uh experiences
that we went through with Heleneand and you know, there's people
are still recovering.
We're gonna talk about that uhthis morning.
But you know, again, uh thehomes that weren't were not
damaged and people that stillhad to sell their home to get
closer to family, or people thatwere retiring, or people that
were downsizing or upsizing, oryou know, had a new job.
(03:04):
I mean, like life is still stillgoing on.
And so we you know, it's adelicate conversation because
again, we're there still in inour thoughts and prayers, and
we're still supporting thosethat are in recovery, and we're
supporting those that are youknow having to still make that
move, and we're we're helpingpeople with that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:21):
Get us in touch with the George Real Estate Group.
SPEAKER_00 (03:24):
Absolutely.
Give us a call, 828-3930134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com, follow us
on social media.
We also podcast all the radioshows, and it's a privilege and
honor to sponsor the HometownHeroes series.
It's a privilege and honor toserve the community through real
estate.
This is my 20th year with mybroker's license, and we're
we're excited about the next 20years.
(03:45):
So just grateful.
SPEAKER_01 (03:47):
Yeah, it's uh it's a good place we've landed.
It really, really is.
Uh well, help me welcome uhBarbara and Joey Brown uh to the
microphones.
Good morning, folks.
Good morning.
How in the world are you alldoing?
Won't complain yet, sun's out.
There you go.
There you go.
Well, it's so good to have youboth here with us.
(04:08):
Uh, you are with an organizationcalled Crosses for Hope.
Yep.
And so I guess that's the placewe start.
Tell us about that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:17):
Well, it actually all started with uh it was uh
Saturday after the storm hit.
Come up with about 30 sabbicidesand some friends and a bunch of
supplies, and went around to dowhat we could do, and it was
like everywhere we went,everyone we talked to was like,
I'm fine, thank you.
Can you check on my neighbor?
(04:37):
And it was just like we werelike, we're We're here to help
you.
Do people like this even exist?
Are we in a are we in a dreamworld?
But yeah, I mean, it was likeevery all day long, every single
house we stopped at, we werefine.
Can you check on my neighbor?
And it was just like it justkept going, kept going, kept
going.
(04:57):
People seeing people withnothing, helping their neighbors
clean tree limbs out of theirgrassy yard that lost nothing,
just you know, just it wasamazing and went home and tried
to pretty much sell everythingwe owned to get a cyber side,
because at the time that's whatyou had to have here to get
around to get to anybody, andGod had other plans.
(05:20):
He said, No.
He said, I want you to build across and take it to uh uh
Western North Carolina.
So I did.
Went to Swantonova with it atSilverado's and I thought that
was the only one.
No, twelve crosses later.
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
Um But what do you mean you built a cross?
I mean you built a large cross.
SPEAKER_03 (05:42):
Red cedar trees and a chainsaw and rough cut them
and cleaned them up and resinedthem to where for hope pretty
much last forever.
I mean Wow.
Yeah, and then yeah, and theneach each cross I built, each
place I came, I'd go home andthe next place would come to me
(06:03):
is you know, is started outSilverado's and then what was it
was Chimney Rock, um Craigtown,Old Fort at the Bible, and God
there's a Batcave, and there'sjust so many of them, and I
actually have one at um MissLisa's there in Chimney Rock,
the the the only one that passedaway there.
And then we have another one inthe river up the river, and
(06:24):
that's a that's a pretty wildstory too.
How that one got placed.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
But um But the cross is it's like you know, when they
asked like the meaning behindit, you know, it wasn't supposed
to be like a religious meaning.
It was like to give hope thattomorrow is gonna be better.
Like there's hope for tomorrow.
And 'cause like there wascontroversy, you know.
SPEAKER_03 (06:46):
Yeah, we found out that like there it's against the
law, I guess, to have religiousstatues and stuff like that in I
guess in town on publicproperty.
Yeah, stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00 (06:58):
So you had private plan now.
SPEAKER_03 (07:00):
Yeah, so that you know, pretty much it was a
struggle to get them all in hereand get somewhere for them so
that they could be where theyneeded to be, where people
wanted them, you know.
Because that's how all of them,you know, God told me to build
the first one.
The people here, they inspiredthe rest the rest of them
because they just we're gonnabe.
SPEAKER_02 (07:17):
They wanted them.
They they met so much.
SPEAKER_03 (07:19):
There's still so many out there.
I don't even know if there'senough cedar trees left on this
planet to build enough crossesthat people just this message us
wanting the same thing, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
But we continuously run across people like even like
in the work that we do inBatcave, and when they find out,
you know, who we are and they'relike, oh, you're the one that
built that cross, and like justthe inspiration that the crosses
have have done to people, andyou know, like they've been
people that's been like on theirla on their last knee kind of
(07:51):
thing, and like just looking atthem crosses has just been so
inspiring to them kind of thing,and it's just yeah, I've
actually had a couple that'smessaged me on their way to give
up and run across my cross.
SPEAKER_03 (08:04):
And they're still here today, living and loving.
SPEAKER_01 (08:07):
That's great.
That's important.
That's an incredible story,yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (08:10):
Yeah, it never had anything to do with religion.
I think it wasn't about who youbelieved in or what you believed
or anything, it was about hopefor tomorrow.
Tomorrow's better.
It's gotta get through today.
So that's why I'm still here.
Help get through today.
SPEAKER_00 (08:23):
But you where are you guys from?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (08:25):
Anderson, South Carolina.
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
And so when you realized the storm was coming
through, you said the next dayyou had it up here.
SPEAKER_03 (08:32):
Well, it was the Saturday after because we got
pretty damaged too.
It took it took us a week toactually chainsaw our way out of
our own.
Your own place.
Yeah.
So because we actually helpedthere first, and then it's just
like just worked our way on uphere, and then now it's just
about 10, 11 months later, stillhere seven days a week.
SPEAKER_00 (08:50):
So you're you're now this is again, this has been
again incredible mission and andthe stories, and we want to
share more of your stories.
But now you're involved with BatCreek uh the the Batcave
Disaster.
Batcave disaster relief.
SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Yes, awesome people.
Awesome people.
We have Mike from Sapphires, uhShauna from I think she's out of
Tennessee.
We've had Pat and Gerard, someamazing, amazing volunteers have
come through.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
So how that happened, and so Yeah, it's uh
So when the weather startedchanging and um the resin wasn't
sitting from going from SouthCarolina to to North Carolina
with the temperature change andstuff, every time that we would
place a cross, for whateverreason, we'd find a way to go
back to Batcave.
(09:36):
It's like it we kept directingback to Batcave.
And um we told them that theirfamily now, you know, you can't
use your family.
SPEAKER_03 (09:44):
Yeah, we we went from doing the crosses to when
we couldn't, and we started uhdonating fuel to chicken feed,
dog, you know, whatever we couldbring up that they needed.
And as I kept coming, I realizedthat they were struggling to get
the equipment around.
So my wife had a custom Corvette79, her dream car, and we traded
it for a dealy truck, wentbought a trailer, and come back
(10:07):
and been boots on the ground forabout 10, 11 months now, hauling
their equipment, running theirequipment.
I'm actually the only only oneleft now.
Wow.
SPEAKER_02 (10:15):
So he's he's full time, he stays in the middle.
I'm full-time, I stay here.
I come up on the weekends.
SPEAKER_03 (10:19):
Yeah, they graciously at the moment have a
house rented that I can stay in,but that's that's coming to an
end shortly.
But but yeah, they've been anawesome group, and and we mainly
focus on like veterans, theelderly, and people that just
lost it all and ain't got nobodyelse, you know.
You know, somebody that losteverything, not somebody that
lost their vacation home orsomething like that.
(10:41):
You know, there's yeah, youknow, priorities are a big order
with us, so you know, we gottaWhat's a typical day like, Joey?
SPEAKER_01 (10:48):
What do you what do you uh what are you gonna do
when you leave here today?
SPEAKER_03 (10:51):
Uh head straight back to the skist during the
excavator and jump right back onthem and jump back and forth to
do what I gotta do, but you knowrebuilding driveways and stuff
and doing culverts, demoinghouses.
Thank God I hadn't do that for aminute.
It's been a minute.
That's that's the tough parts,haven't I?
SPEAKER_00 (11:10):
What what story sticks out to you the most over
the last twelve months?
SPEAKER_03 (11:15):
Oh Lord.
That would be a hard one.
They're all impactful.
They're all they all bring atear to think about 'em.
SPEAKER_01 (11:27):
Yeah.
I appreciate your emotion.
That's uh it's very obvious thatyou uh you guys care for uh the
people of Batcave and areworking every day, and there's
uh a whole lot of work left tobe done, isn't there?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (11:42):
Yeah, there sure is.
Yeah, we've been we've been outof pocket doing it our own since
the beginning.
We've we've done everything wecould and given everything we
got, but like I said, God toldme to come and do this, and I'll
be here till he tells me to gohome.
SPEAKER_00 (11:59):
Yeah, I mean, and I it's I mean, we've heard from so
many people that that havewillingly picked up and spent
months and left everything andleft their lives back home to
help people here.
Can you put some perspective onthat for again the I mean the
joy I mean you guys you saidit's been it's you're here to
(12:20):
give, but you said what you'vereceived.
SPEAKER_03 (12:23):
I mean again the joy just the joy you guys have in
serving others and I tell peopleall the time and they m they
kind of make fun of me, but Itell them it's the best paying
job I've ever had.
And I ain't got a d and ain'tnobody paid me a dime.
You know, we've gotten a fewdonations here and there, and
and the hubs helped us a littlebit, you know, when we need it
here and there, but you know,but for the most part, we've
(12:43):
taken it out of our pocket, andI ain't never missed a dime.
Best paying job.
Best paying job I've ever hadbecause you can't you can't buy
gratitude, you can't buyrespect, you can't Love.
You you can't pay to be humbled.
SPEAKER_00 (12:59):
I mean, being humbled is just It's sobering,
I'm sure, the experiences you'vehad.
SPEAKER_03 (13:05):
There there's no I mean somebody could hand me all
the money they had today and itstill wouldn't be as much as
I've been paid already just forthe thanks and the love and the
gratitude and uh when you areable to give somebody a septic
tank or a plummon or somethingthat has been had that in ten
months.
SPEAKER_02 (13:25):
Wow and be I mean, like just be able to have that,
you know.
Yeah.
I mean, and just a look on theelderly's face, you know, that
kind of thing, like there'sthere's no other there's nothing
like it, right?
I mean, but then at the sametime, you know, like the things
(13:45):
that we have to give up or hehas to give up, you know, we
have a a senior in high school.
So like our son, you know likeLandon back home, you know, he
he's also come up and he's been,you know, helping out kind of
thing, but but you know, it'sthe things that we have to give
up at home to you know to dothis that people don't think
about too.
SPEAKER_03 (14:07):
I'm just lucky.
Don't regret anything.
I've got a a wife that supportsme and she comes up on the
weekends and because I've beendisabled for thirteen, fourteen
years now.
So if it was if it weren't forher, I probably wouldn't be here
now.
But she's her and a good lordthe main reason all this
happens.
SPEAKER_01 (14:28):
Well, the folks at uh the Batcave Disaster Relief
Group uh nominated you, uhnominated both of you and told
us a little bit about your storyand about what you're doing
there.
And uh we just wanted to haveyou up and pat you on the back
and tell you we love you andthank you so much for uh we
appreciate it uh outpouring.
SPEAKER_03 (14:48):
We love Batcave and Mark Lynette.
Awesome people.
They'll have to run me out hereand put signs up to keep me out
now.
Their family, you know howfamily is, you can't get rid of
them.
SPEAKER_01 (14:59):
I predict when that uh senior gets out of high
school, you you guys will becomeBatcave residents.
It sounds like to me.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
I tell you what, I've been telling her all the
time.
I'd move here today if I had themoney to live to buy property or
I'd I'd live in a tent.
I wouldn't care.
Yeah, ain't that funny?
It's ironic, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01 (15:16):
Noah's got a uh certificate for you and a
certificate for some uh freelunches around town, and and uh
uh you also got our deepest ourdeepest uh gratitude for what
you do.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_03 (15:31):
Thank you, thank you guys.
We're honored to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (15:33):
Noah, see you next Friday.
Absolutely.
Thank you, thank you.
You've built a lifetime ofstrength, wisdom, and
independence.
And here's the best part (15:41):
you still have it.
Every decision, every step,every next chapter is yours to
choose.
Selling your home isn't aboutletting go, it's about opening
the door to more freedom, moretime for what you love, more
energy for the people andpassions that matter most.
(16:02):
At the George Real Estate Group,we believe independence isn't
behind you.
It's right here, right now.
Our team goes beyond buying andselling.
We're here to help you protectyour wealth, preserve your
legacy, and make sure Uncle Samdoesn't become your biggest
benefactor.
We'll guide you every step ofthe way towards your next
(16:24):
chapter, your next opportunity,and your freedom on your terms.
Call us at 828-393-0134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com.
SPEAKER_01 (16:37):
The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat
Rock, North Carolina, nearHendersonville in Henderson
County.
You can find them online atrealestatebygreg.com.
The George Real Estate Group canbe reached at 828-3930134, or
stop by their office at 2720Greenville Highway, Flat Rock,
(16:58):
North Carolina.
Tune in live each week onThursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP
107.7 FM and 1450 A.M.
or stream online at WHKP.com.
Or download these podcastswherever you get your podcasts.
The George Real Estate Groupbrings you the WHKP Hometown
(17:21):
Hero Series every Friday morningat 8 45.
The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is
celebrating 10 years on WHKP.
The George Real Estate Group iscelebrating 10 years on the
radio live every Thursdaymorning at 1005 on WHKP 107.7 FM
and AM 1450, and streamingonline at WHKP.com.
(00:24):
Each Friday morning at 8.45, theGeorge Real Estate Group
presents the Hometown Hero Awardto someone in our community who
goes above and beyond to makeour hometown a better place to
live.
Here's this week's Hometown HeroShow.
It's 8.45 and uh time now forour George Real Estate Group
(00:49):
Hometown Hero Series on Fridaymorning, the highlight of the
week for uh a lot of us aroundhere, including Noah George.
And it's so good to have youback, Noah.
How are you?
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
I'm great.
So much to be thankful for, andit's a it's a privilege and
honor to sponsor the HometownHeroes series uh every Friday
morning.
It's the highlight of my week.
SPEAKER_01 (01:09):
Well, uh, you had a good fill in yesterday or last
week, rather.
Uh Taylor was here and she did afantastic job.
She can talk some real estate.
SPEAKER_00 (01:17):
She certainly can.
I told her she did she didbetter.
I mean, for someone been throwninto the lion's den, I mean, she
did awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
I didn't do that well the first time I was ever
on the air, I promise you.
SPEAKER_00 (01:32):
That's for sure.
But just grateful.
Again, we're here every Fridaymorning.
We're also here every Thursday,right after the 10 o'clock news,
sharing positive news about thelocal real estate marketing
community.
And uh, you know, the I I wantto say we have an open house
this Sunday at 1600 Orchard Parkin Flat Rock.
It's an amazing uh farmhouse.
Uh it's awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
I looked at that and I used to live uh um around the
corner down there.
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
It's an awesome property.
Right.
Um and that's gonna be open thisSunday from one to three.
And of course, uh, and we alsohave uh 73 Wisdom Cove in
Hendersonville open this uhSunday from two to four.
You can see all this on oursocial media and Facebook, and
uh you know, just want to makesure to get a plug-in for that.
But the real estate market isstill moving.
I mean, like we've actually hadmore homes sell you know year to
(02:19):
date this year than last year.
And and it's just moving and theprices are softening a little
bit, but the you know, interestrates are are they came down a
little bit.
I mean, like so I mean all thesethings, but we know regardless
of prices, regardless of theeconomy, regardless of I mean,
uh the interest rates, lifehappens, therefore real estate
happens.
And so no matter what, and andwe certainly saw that, you know,
(02:42):
and people obviously with allthe incredible uh experiences
that we went through with Heleneand and you know, there's people
are still recovering.
We're gonna talk about that uhthis morning.
But you know, again, uh thehomes that weren't were not
damaged and people that stillhad to sell their home to get
closer to family, or people thatwere retiring, or people that
were downsizing or upsizing, oryou know, had a new job.
(03:04):
I mean, like life is still stillgoing on.
And so we you know, it's adelicate conversation because
again, we're there still in inour thoughts and prayers, and
we're still supporting thosethat are in recovery, and we're
supporting those that are youknow having to still make that
move, and we're we're helpingpeople with that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:21):
Get us in touch with the George Real Estate Group.
SPEAKER_00 (03:24):
Absolutely.
Give us a call, 828-3930134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com, follow us
on social media.
We also podcast all the radioshows, and it's a privilege and
honor to sponsor the HometownHeroes series.
It's a privilege and honor toserve the community through real
estate.
This is my 20th year with mybroker's license, and we're
we're excited about the next 20years.
(03:45):
So just grateful.
SPEAKER_01 (03:47):
Yeah, it's uh it's a good place we've landed.
It really, really is.
Uh well, help me welcome uhBarbara and Joey Brown uh to the
microphones.
Good morning, folks.
Good morning.
How in the world are you alldoing?
Won't complain yet, sun's out.
There you go.
There you go.
Well, it's so good to have youboth here with us.
(04:08):
Uh, you are with an organizationcalled Crosses for Hope.
Yep.
And so I guess that's the placewe start.
Tell us about that.
SPEAKER_03 (04:17):
Well, it actually all started with uh it was uh
Saturday after the storm hit.
Come up with about 30 sabbicidesand some friends and a bunch of
supplies, and went around to dowhat we could do, and it was
like everywhere we went,everyone we talked to was like,
I'm fine, thank you.
Can you check on my neighbor?
(04:37):
And it was just like we werelike, we're We're here to help
you.
Do people like this even exist?
Are we in a are we in a dreamworld?
But yeah, I mean, it was likeevery all day long, every single
house we stopped at, we werefine.
Can you check on my neighbor?
And it was just like it justkept going, kept going, kept
going.
(04:57):
People seeing people withnothing, helping their neighbors
clean tree limbs out of theirgrassy yard that lost nothing,
just you know, just it wasamazing and went home and tried
to pretty much sell everythingwe owned to get a cyber side,
because at the time that's whatyou had to have here to get
around to get to anybody, andGod had other plans.
(05:20):
He said, No.
He said, I want you to build across and take it to uh uh
Western North Carolina.
So I did.
Went to Swantonova with it atSilverado's and I thought that
was the only one.
No, twelve crosses later.
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
Um But what do you mean you built a cross?
I mean you built a large cross.
SPEAKER_03 (05:42):
Red cedar trees and a chainsaw and rough cut them
and cleaned them up and resinedthem to where for hope pretty
much last forever.
I mean Wow.
Yeah, and then yeah, and theneach each cross I built, each
place I came, I'd go home andthe next place would come to me
(06:03):
is you know, is started outSilverado's and then what was it
was Chimney Rock, um Craigtown,Old Fort at the Bible, and God
there's a Batcave, and there'sjust so many of them, and I
actually have one at um MissLisa's there in Chimney Rock,
the the the only one that passedaway there.
And then we have another one inthe river up the river, and
(06:24):
that's a that's a pretty wildstory too.
How that one got placed.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
But um But the cross is it's like you know, when they
asked like the meaning behindit, you know, it wasn't supposed
to be like a religious meaning.
It was like to give hope thattomorrow is gonna be better.
Like there's hope for tomorrow.
And 'cause like there wascontroversy, you know.
SPEAKER_03 (06:46):
Yeah, we found out that like there it's against the
law, I guess, to have religiousstatues and stuff like that in I
guess in town on publicproperty.
Yeah, stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00 (06:58):
So you had private plan now.
SPEAKER_03 (07:00):
Yeah, so that you know, pretty much it was a
struggle to get them all in hereand get somewhere for them so
that they could be where theyneeded to be, where people
wanted them, you know.
Because that's how all of them,you know, God told me to build
the first one.
The people here, they inspiredthe rest the rest of them
because they just we're gonnabe.
SPEAKER_02 (07:17):
They wanted them.
They they met so much.
SPEAKER_03 (07:19):
There's still so many out there.
I don't even know if there'senough cedar trees left on this
planet to build enough crossesthat people just this message us
wanting the same thing, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (07:27):
But we continuously run across people like even like
in the work that we do inBatcave, and when they find out,
you know, who we are and they'relike, oh, you're the one that
built that cross, and like justthe inspiration that the crosses
have have done to people, andyou know, like they've been
people that's been like on theirla on their last knee kind of
(07:51):
thing, and like just looking atthem crosses has just been so
inspiring to them kind of thing,and it's just yeah, I've
actually had a couple that'smessaged me on their way to give
up and run across my cross.
SPEAKER_03 (08:04):
And they're still here today, living and loving.
SPEAKER_01 (08:07):
That's great.
That's important.
That's an incredible story,yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (08:10):
Yeah, it never had anything to do with religion.
I think it wasn't about who youbelieved in or what you believed
or anything, it was about hopefor tomorrow.
Tomorrow's better.
It's gotta get through today.
So that's why I'm still here.
Help get through today.
SPEAKER_00 (08:23):
But you where are you guys from?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (08:25):
Anderson, South Carolina.
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
And so when you realized the storm was coming
through, you said the next dayyou had it up here.
SPEAKER_03 (08:32):
Well, it was the Saturday after because we got
pretty damaged too.
It took it took us a week toactually chainsaw our way out of
our own.
Your own place.
Yeah.
So because we actually helpedthere first, and then it's just
like just worked our way on uphere, and then now it's just
about 10, 11 months later, stillhere seven days a week.
SPEAKER_00 (08:50):
So you're you're now this is again, this has been
again incredible mission and andthe stories, and we want to
share more of your stories.
But now you're involved with BatCreek uh the the Batcave
Disaster.
Batcave disaster relief.
SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Yes, awesome people.
Awesome people.
We have Mike from Sapphires, uhShauna from I think she's out of
Tennessee.
We've had Pat and Gerard, someamazing, amazing volunteers have
come through.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
So how that happened, and so Yeah, it's uh
So when the weather startedchanging and um the resin wasn't
sitting from going from SouthCarolina to to North Carolina
with the temperature change andstuff, every time that we would
place a cross, for whateverreason, we'd find a way to go
back to Batcave.
(09:36):
It's like it we kept directingback to Batcave.
And um we told them that theirfamily now, you know, you can't
use your family.
SPEAKER_03 (09:44):
Yeah, we we went from doing the crosses to when
we couldn't, and we started uhdonating fuel to chicken feed,
dog, you know, whatever we couldbring up that they needed.
And as I kept coming, I realizedthat they were struggling to get
the equipment around.
So my wife had a custom Corvette79, her dream car, and we traded
it for a dealy truck, wentbought a trailer, and come back
(10:07):
and been boots on the ground forabout 10, 11 months now, hauling
their equipment, running theirequipment.
I'm actually the only only oneleft now.
Wow.
SPEAKER_02 (10:15):
So he's he's full time, he stays in the middle.
I'm full-time, I stay here.
I come up on the weekends.
SPEAKER_03 (10:19):
Yeah, they graciously at the moment have a
house rented that I can stay in,but that's that's coming to an
end shortly.
But but yeah, they've been anawesome group, and and we mainly
focus on like veterans, theelderly, and people that just
lost it all and ain't got nobodyelse, you know.
You know, somebody that losteverything, not somebody that
lost their vacation home orsomething like that.
(10:41):
You know, there's yeah, youknow, priorities are a big order
with us, so you know, we gottaWhat's a typical day like, Joey?
SPEAKER_01 (10:48):
What do you what do you uh what are you gonna do
when you leave here today?
SPEAKER_03 (10:51):
Uh head straight back to the skist during the
excavator and jump right back onthem and jump back and forth to
do what I gotta do, but you knowrebuilding driveways and stuff
and doing culverts, demoinghouses.
Thank God I hadn't do that for aminute.
It's been a minute.
That's that's the tough parts,haven't I?
SPEAKER_00 (11:10):
What what story sticks out to you the most over
the last twelve months?
SPEAKER_03 (11:15):
Oh Lord.
That would be a hard one.
They're all impactful.
They're all they all bring atear to think about 'em.
SPEAKER_01 (11:27):
Yeah.
I appreciate your emotion.
That's uh it's very obvious thatyou uh you guys care for uh the
people of Batcave and areworking every day, and there's
uh a whole lot of work left tobe done, isn't there?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (11:42):
Yeah, there sure is.
Yeah, we've been we've been outof pocket doing it our own since
the beginning.
We've we've done everything wecould and given everything we
got, but like I said, God toldme to come and do this, and I'll
be here till he tells me to gohome.
SPEAKER_00 (11:59):
Yeah, I mean, and I it's I mean, we've heard from so
many people that that havewillingly picked up and spent
months and left everything andleft their lives back home to
help people here.
Can you put some perspective onthat for again the I mean the
joy I mean you guys you saidit's been it's you're here to
(12:20):
give, but you said what you'vereceived.
SPEAKER_03 (12:23):
I mean again the joy just the joy you guys have in
serving others and I tell peopleall the time and they m they
kind of make fun of me, but Itell them it's the best paying
job I've ever had.
And I ain't got a d and ain'tnobody paid me a dime.
You know, we've gotten a fewdonations here and there, and
and the hubs helped us a littlebit, you know, when we need it
here and there, but you know,but for the most part, we've
(12:43):
taken it out of our pocket, andI ain't never missed a dime.
Best paying job.
Best paying job I've ever hadbecause you can't you can't buy
gratitude, you can't buyrespect, you can't Love.
You you can't pay to be humbled.
SPEAKER_00 (12:59):
I mean, being humbled is just It's sobering,
I'm sure, the experiences you'vehad.
SPEAKER_03 (13:05):
There there's no I mean somebody could hand me all
the money they had today and itstill wouldn't be as much as
I've been paid already just forthe thanks and the love and the
gratitude and uh when you areable to give somebody a septic
tank or a plummon or somethingthat has been had that in ten
months.
SPEAKER_02 (13:25):
Wow and be I mean, like just be able to have that,
you know.
Yeah.
I mean, and just a look on theelderly's face, you know, that
kind of thing, like there'sthere's no other there's nothing
like it, right?
I mean, but then at the sametime, you know, like the things
(13:45):
that we have to give up or hehas to give up, you know, we
have a a senior in high school.
So like our son, you know likeLandon back home, you know, he
he's also come up and he's been,you know, helping out kind of
thing, but but you know, it'sthe things that we have to give
up at home to you know to dothis that people don't think
about too.
SPEAKER_03 (14:07):
I'm just lucky.
Don't regret anything.
I've got a a wife that supportsme and she comes up on the
weekends and because I've beendisabled for thirteen, fourteen
years now.
So if it was if it weren't forher, I probably wouldn't be here
now.
But she's her and a good lordthe main reason all this
happens.
SPEAKER_01 (14:28):
Well, the folks at uh the Batcave Disaster Relief
Group uh nominated you, uhnominated both of you and told
us a little bit about your storyand about what you're doing
there.
And uh we just wanted to haveyou up and pat you on the back
and tell you we love you andthank you so much for uh we
appreciate it uh outpouring.
SPEAKER_03 (14:48):
We love Batcave and Mark Lynette.
Awesome people.
They'll have to run me out hereand put signs up to keep me out
now.
Their family, you know howfamily is, you can't get rid of
them.
SPEAKER_01 (14:59):
I predict when that uh senior gets out of high
school, you you guys will becomeBatcave residents.
It sounds like to me.
SPEAKER_03 (15:05):
I tell you what, I've been telling her all the
time.
I'd move here today if I had themoney to live to buy property or
I'd I'd live in a tent.
I wouldn't care.
Yeah, ain't that funny?
It's ironic, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01 (15:16):
Noah's got a uh certificate for you and a
certificate for some uh freelunches around town, and and uh
uh you also got our deepest ourdeepest uh gratitude for what
you do.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_03 (15:31):
Thank you, thank you guys.
We're honored to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (15:33):
Noah, see you next Friday.
Absolutely.
Thank you, thank you.
You've built a lifetime ofstrength, wisdom, and
independence.
And here's the best part (15:41):
you still have it.
Every decision, every step,every next chapter is yours to
choose.
Selling your home isn't aboutletting go, it's about opening
the door to more freedom, moretime for what you love, more
energy for the people andpassions that matter most.
(16:02):
At the George Real Estate Group,we believe independence isn't
behind you.
It's right here, right now.
Our team goes beyond buying andselling.
We're here to help you protectyour wealth, preserve your
legacy, and make sure Uncle Samdoesn't become your biggest
benefactor.
We'll guide you every step ofthe way towards your next
(16:24):
chapter, your next opportunity,and your freedom on your terms.
Call us at 828-393-0134.
Find us online atrealestatebygreg.com.
SPEAKER_01 (16:37):
The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat
Rock, North Carolina, nearHendersonville in Henderson
County.
You can find them online atrealestatebygreg.com.
The George Real Estate Group canbe reached at 828-3930134, or
stop by their office at 2720Greenville Highway, Flat Rock,
(16:58):
North Carolina.
Tune in live each week onThursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP
107.7 FM and 1450 A.M.
or stream online at WHKP.com.
Or download these podcastswherever you get your podcasts.
The George Real Estate Groupbrings you the WHKP Hometown
(17:21):
Hero Series every Friday morningat 8 45.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.