“The resilience of our community, the resilience of our people. We have been knocked down before, we rose up before. And we’re going to rise up from this, stronger than we’ve ever been. There’s a saying “mountain strong” and that’s exactly what we are. We are a hardy people, and we will rise up from this,” Mathis said.

Watch a road bridge in East Tennessee collapse into a river. Known as Kisner Bridge on Highway 107 in the town of Afton, the bridge was no match for the powerful waters of the flooded Nolichucky River. (Courtesy: Landon Duckett via Storyful)