GEORGIA, USA — It's easy to take these things for granted when you have basic necessities daily, like food, water, clean clothes, fuel and power.
Hurricane Helene survivors in Wheeler and Telfair counties are still without many of these basic necessities.
13WMAZ's trip to Alamo and McRae wasn't as difficult as it was on Friday hours after Helene came through Central Georgia, thanks to the repairs completed by linemen.
However, the destruction was about the same because recovery takes time.
With supermarkets and most stores closed in the area, folks are staying patient and surviving.
During the storm, Anthony Smith explained he stayed with a nearby friend for the night.
When he wheeled into his home Friday, Anthony Smith realized he needed a helping hand.
"I don't have anyone to help me cut this down, cut this up, and get it off my house," Smith said.
Upon arriving, he saw several trees in his yard sprawled over his property. The largest tree broke off into large branches; one impaled the roof over Smith's bedroom.
"I was glad I left," Smith said. "This house shakes when you step, so I know when that tree came in here crashing, I know it would've scared the daylights outta me."
With a storm brewing in the Gulf, Smith is worried about the next time it will rain.
"It needs to be taken off my house as soon as possible," he said.
Smith knows recovery's going to take time.
"A lot of people are passing by and looking, but nobody's stopping to help," he said.
"When I woke up, I had no electricity; everything was off, no phone connection, nothing," his neighbor around the corner, Sonja Southerland, said.
Southerland isn't in any better shape.
A tree in her backyard fell on her home.
"Thankfully, it didn't go inside the home," Southerland said. "But, it took down the power lines with it, so none of us have power."
Staying cool and busy, Southerland and her next-door neighbors were hanging out on their porch Tuesday under the shade.
She said they need water, groceries and basic necessities right now.
Wheeler County residents like Amy Horne are also reeling in from Helene's aftermath.
"We were trying to be as prepared as we could, knowing it was going to be bad," Horne said.
Horne showed us photos of the hurricane's destruction to one of her sister's houses.
They had some cars nearby trees that are "totaled as far as we know," she said.
Powering through relief efforts, Horner, Southerland, Smith and survivors alike are staying patient for the heroes.
"They're doing a great job, cleaning and moving stuff out of the roads," people we spoke to said.
The Dollar General in Wheeler lost power when the storm hit Thursday, according to the manager.
The next night, they said, someone broke into loot.
In Telfair, the Piggly Wiggly's closed.
However, if you're collecting donations, reach out to Manager Randy Widner.
"Anything we know it's edible and good to consume, we're passing it to any organization that will take it," Widner said.
When 13WMAZ went to the supermarket Tuesday, employees were inside the store working on inventory.
Widner said they're throwing away anything that's spoiled and expired; their donations are anything they deem safe to eat.
The Harvey's in McRae is also closed.
In the parking lot, Woodmen Life Insurance set up a tent people were driving through and picking up donations from.
"We know it's hard; the Harvey's isn't even open yet, they don't have power, so we're just trying to do as much as we can," they said. "Just here to serve."
In Wheeler County, a base for aid is set up at the GBI Headquarters with the National Guard and local and state law enforcement agencies.
"Just the basic necessities, food, water, things of that nature," Investigator Terry Howard said.
Lending a hand from Houston County, EMA Director Chris Stoner went to Wheeler around lunchtime Monday.
He said he's going to stay and help the community get back on their feet.
"Having someone come from the outside with a fresh set of eyes who's not personally impacted can kinda help steer everything back in a good direction," Stoner said.
The road to recovery is long, but the end is in sight for survivors.
"It'll probably never be the same, but I was thinking about how long it took us to get over COVID, and we did. So, I think it might take as long as that felt." Horne said. " I believe we'll get through it."
If you live in Wheeler, stay updated with your local resources in the emergency support group.
In Telfair, the Piggly Wiggly's generator has been running since Friday; the manager hopes they can open as soon as possible.