A path to hope: Donna Toliver’s story

Nestled in the holler of Ashe County, lives Donna Tolliver. Following Hurricane Helene, Donna’s beloved home and neighborhood faced significant challenges. Her road, which connected Donna to the outside world, simply washed away, leaving her stranded. Donna would not have been able to get to work at Watauga Medical Center if it weren’t for her neighbors, who graciously allowed her to use their narrow side road that rarely sees use. This very road led her to bring hope and comfort to an entire organization.

Each day, without fail, Donna would make that trek. Donna, a member of the food service team at Watauga Medical Center, helped to organize and provide free hot meals to employees the entire week following the storm – a gesture that meant so much, perhaps more than Donna knew at the time.

For most of us, the days following the storm are all but a blur. Shock crept its way in, the sounds of generators, excavators, and helicopters filled the air, and the feeling of loss hung heavy. Donna’s hot meals, always served with a smile, were more than just a meal, they were a sense of normalcy in the chaos, a small comfort amid the uncertainty.

A colleague of Donna’s remembers, “Each day, following the hurricane, despite her [Donna’s] struggles, she always arrived with a smile. Donna stepped up in her leadership role and advocated for her teammates needing more help so that we could get her volunteers and the help she needed. She ensured her staff was organized, and that hot meals were provided on schedule to all UNC Health Appalachian Employees. Her selflessness amidst the chaos is admirable.”

Donna’s impact on our organization is immeasurable. She brought us hope and comfort throughout the hardest of weeks – and we cannot thank her enough.