After Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, North Carolina, Taylor Schenker was deeply moved by the destruction. Amid the wreckage, she discovered a handful of family photos, mud-caked and battered, that had miraculously survived the storm. Determined to reunite these cherished memories with their owners, Schenker created an Instagram page to connect people with their lost photos. In less than a week, she had tracked down over 500 pictures, returning more than 70 to their rightful owners.
One emotional reunion occurred when Schenker returned photos to Mary Moss, whose home was destroyed by an uprooted tree. The photos, which included images of Moss’s late son Tommy, who had passed away from a genetic disorder, were a precious reminder of him. “This is one thing that the river didn’t get to take,” Moss said, overwhelmed with gratitude. For Moss, the photos were irreplaceable memories of her son, offering a glimmer of hope amid the devastation.
Schenker’s efforts to restore the photos became a symbol of resilience and compassion in the face of disaster. In Los Angeles, Claire Schwartz began a similar initiative following the deadly Eaton fire in January 2025. Realizing that rain and ash could ruin photos, Schwartz took it upon herself to find and preserve them, using techniques she had learned as an archival intern. She retrieved yearbook pages, children’s art, and family photos, working tirelessly to return them to their owners.
Schwartz’s first success came when she reunited prom photos with their rightful owner, a moment that was both heartwarming and surreal. Joshua Simpson, a photographer who lost his Altadena home and studio in the fire, was overjoyed to find a vintage photo of his mother-in-law holding his wife as a newborn. “It felt a little magical finding that one,” he said, reflecting on the importance of preserving memories.
Both Schenker and Schwartz’s work highlights the deep emotional value attached to personal photographs, which serve as irreplaceable links to the past. In the wake of natural disasters, their efforts have shown how communities can come together to recover and heal, offering a poignant reminder of the resilience of human connection and the significance of memories.
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