Mass. bachelorette party raises $11,000 for hurricane victims, reunites with man who saved them

    WALPOLE, Massachusetts (WBZ) -- WBZ first brought you the story of the bachelorette party of Massachusetts girls who were trapped in Asheville, North Carolina for two days without water, power, or cell service amid the destruction of Hurricane Helene.

The girls told WBZ the experience put life in perspective for them, and they were forever grateful to the "kind stranger" who called up the mountain, asking if anyone needed help.

That man was Ben Moore of Asheville. He saw WBZ's story online when friends sent it to him and contacted Kristina Rex on social media, to let her know he was the "kind stranger" in question.

"We are forever indebted"

On Friday, the group reunited via Zoom, giving the girls the opportunity to thank the man who saved their lives. "We are so thankful," said bride Kayla Donnelly of Walpole. "We have been thinking of you and I'm so glad you found us… we are forever indebted."

Donnelly said the whole ordeal was eye opening, especially knowing that over 220 people have died in the devastation. She and her friends became close with neighbors who comforted them as they were also trapped at the top of a mountain, unable to get down because of fallen trees and buckled roads.

"People really do need a lot of help, but I don't think there's a lot of coverage in some areas just because they haven't been able to get to them yet so it's nice to be able to be a voice for those who can't be on TV or on the radio right now," Donnelly explained.

Group raises more than $11,000

To help, the girls had a surprise for their hero, Ben Moore – they created an online fundraiser for BeLoved Asheville which has raised over $11,000 and counting in just three days. "Wow," Ben said, shocked by the news. "I can't tell you how happy I was to hear y'all were safe, and to hear that you raised so much money. I mean. It's amazing to just feel the love from all the places that are coming in," he said.

When the girls over-thanked Moore, his response was, "You don't owe me anything. Just do it for somebody else when you have the opportunity. It's just a great, great, divine coincidence that we met up there."

Moore has spent the last few days with a group of about 40 volunteers returning up Elk Mountain with chainsaws to clear trees to allow people to get down. Some people – including a pregnant woman – had to be rescued by helicopter.

Moore told WBZ that all neighbors had been saved from the mountain as of Thursday.