Some of the work had started before Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers arrived.
Peppers spent Tuesday, his day off from football, in Marlboro County, two hours east of Charlotte, helping United Way and Americorps volunteers muck and gut houses damaged by Hurricane Florence.
The storm made landfall near Wrightsville Beach on Sept. 14, then lingered for days, dumping rain that caused widespread N.C. and S.C. flooding.
It was Peppers’ second trip to an affected area since beginning his relief fund last month in response to the storm, and donating an initial $100,000.
And it was emotional.