ASHEVILLE - A documentary chronicling the devastation of Tropical Storm Helene in Yancey County has done more than preserve the stories of survivors — it reached the top of a major streaming platform, generated $45,000 for local first responders, and inspired a new series featuring stories that couldn't fit into the original film.
Christopher Pike, director of "Scars on the Mountain," said the documentary's strong performance on the Angel streaming platform has allowed his production team to fulfill a promise to the community that welcomed them in early 2025.
More: 'Scars on the Mountain' preserves Yancey County's Helene story
Now, Pike and his team at Year 8 Productions are preparing "Scars on the Mountain: Untold," a companion series featuring previously unseen interviews with the volunteers, first responders and residents who helped Western North Carolina recover from the catastrophic September 2024 storm.
The new project is undergoing an audience approval process that could put it on Angel within the next several months.
Released July 30, "Scars on the Mountain" quickly exceeded Pike's expectations, reaching the top of Angel's most-viewed projects within 36 hours, according to the filmmaker. The documentary subsequently remained among the platform's 10 most-viewed projects for 14 weeks, competing against theatrical productions with multimillion-dollar budgets.
"Scars on the Mountain has punched well beyond its weight," Pike told the Citizen Times Nov. 9.
The film chronicles the destruction of Yancey County, where Helene killed 11 people, and the extraordinary efforts of residents and volunteers to rescue survivors and rebuild shattered communities.
Pike, who grew up on Long Island, arrived in Western North Carolina Jan. 2, 2025, months after executive producer Michael Foley had begun working with local residents following the storm. Their documentary combined interviews, firsthand accounts and locally sourced footage to chronicle the disaster and its aftermath.
That success translated into financial assistance for the same community featured in the film.
On the second anniversary of Helene, Sept. 27, the production donated $45,000 to Yancey County first responders, fulfilling a commitment Pike had made to the community.
The money was divided equally among Yancey County Emergency Medical Services, the Yancey County Sheriff's Department and the Yancey County Fire Department Association.
Shane Hilliard, Yancey County's sheriff, told the Citizen Times Nov. 9 that a decision on how to spend the money hadn't yet been made, however he thought it would be used for something that could be utilized during extreme weather events or if his department is called upon to help others in a future natural disaster — "because they came and helped us."
The original documentary featured remarkable accounts of survival, including two Yancey County residents who escaped rising floodwaters by using an ax to cut through the roof of a volunteer fire station. But those stories represented only a fraction of what filmmakers collected.
Pike said his crew conducted approximately 40 to 45 interviews during production, leaving roughly 10 to 15 unused when the feature documentary was completed.
Rather than abandon that material, the production team decided to build a companion series highlighting the people and experiences that couldn't be included in the original film.
"One documentary could not tell the whole story," Pike said.
The new project…
