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David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
NC State defensive end Davin Vann is working to bring relief supplies to storm-ravaged communities in western North Carolina after floods devastated communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Friday.
Vann’s mother, Joy Hall, owns a moving company — Joyful Movers, based in Cary, North Carolina — and as the two discussed the storm damage on Sunday, they decided to fill one of Hall’s moving trucks with needed supplies and bring them to families in need.
“We just came up with the idea of filling up a box truck and getting supplies out there,” Vann said. “It might not do much, but it’s something that we felt like we could do.”
Vann and his mother will be collecting donations at the school’s indoor practice facility from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday and from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
Vann said they’re looking for donations of bottled water or electrolyte drinks, premixed baby formula, baby wipes and other hygiene products, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and hand sanitizer, diapers, shampoo, flight lights, lanterns and batteries, as well as blankets and sleeping bags and canned foods.
“We love the mountains and looking at all these folks, I just can’t imagine losing everything,” Hall said. “We wanted to do something to help.”
Numerous areas of western North Carolina are under water, with residents isolated from basic services, while others have been displaced by storm water. More than 30 people in the state have been confirmed dead and nearly 2 million are still without power.
“We’ll be out there all day,” Vann said. “We were just talking about how devastating the hurricane was for that region of North Carolina and how we wanted to help. It was just kind of us talking at first and then we just decided it was something we could actually do.”
Vann is a fifth-year senior from Cary, North Carolina. He has been a starter on the defensive line for three years, and leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss this season, including 3.5 in a win over Northern Illinois on Saturday.
“I’m really proud and thankful for Davin and his family,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said Monday. “Davin probably just came off the best game of his career, as well. For that to be on his mind today, I think says a lot about that young man and his family.”