Stranded by a North Carolina Storm, Rescued by Rides in Missouri
When devastating floodwaters swept through Asheville, North Carolina last year, Jonny Damico lost more than just power and clean water—she lost her safety net. Dependent on oxygen and without electricity to power her machine, Jonny faced a terrifying choice. With no clear end in sight and her oxygen supply dwindling, her daughter urged her to leave everything behind and come to Missouri.
“It was like a third-world country on an island,” Jonny recalled. “No power, no food, no phones. Just water all around us.”
She boarded a plane with only what she could carry and her very last oxygen bottle, leaving behind her home, her routine, and the life she knew. Windsor, Missouri, became her new home, a small town on the border of Henry and Pettis counties—but starting over came with challenges, especially for someone who needed daily access to vital medication she’s relied on for over seven years.
With no transportation of her own and no cab or Uber options in her new rural community, Jonny found herself stranded and unable to reach the town where she could get the medical care she needed. And asking her daughter to take her to daily doctor appointments just wasn’t going to work. When you combine her daughter’s long work hours and her long drive to work, typically leaving the house before sunrise and ending her day late, fitting in daily doctor’s appointments was an impossible ask. It would have meant choosing her job or choosing to take care of her mother.
That’s where New Growth Transit came in.
“If it wasn’t for New Growth Transit,” Jonny said, “I don’t know what would’ve happened to me.”
The Human Side of Transit: Real Calls, Real Drivers, Real Friendship
When riders call New Growth Transit, real people answer the phone who listen and help. So, what began as scheduling a ride to the doctor also became something much more. With the help of caring staff like Miss Judy, Jonny found her footing. “She helped me come up with a system,” Jonny said. “I mark everything on my calendar in little circles—my appointments and the day I need to call to schedule them. Now I never miss calling for a ride.”
And the care didn’t stop at the office. Every ride came with kindness and conversation. “One gentleman helped me use a little step stool to get into his truck,” she said. “The ladies who pick me up are just so friendly—we talk the whole way. At first, I’d fall asleep because the early mornings were tough, but now I stay awake and enjoy the company.”
Some might be surprised to learn that, unlike a cab or Uber, New Growth Transit passengers often ride in the front seat. The rides aren’t just convenient—they’re comfortable, familiar, and full of connection. Drivers often remark that the best part of what they do is the conversations. Riders seem to agree.
For Jonny, the experience has been life-changing. In a place she never expected to call home, she’s found not only access to healthcare—but renewed independence and a sense of community.
Help Us Keep the New Growth Transit Wheels Turning
Jonny’s story—as a storm refugee starting over in Missouri—is unique. But the challenge she and her daughter faced is all too familiar in rural communities: the impossible choice between taking a loved one to the doctor and recognizing that it’s not realistic to keep a job when so much time off is needed to make that happen. And that’s if there’s even someone available to help. Too many of our riders live alone, with no nearby family and no other transportation options.
Stories like Jonny’s are only possible because of people like you. Whether you volunteer your time, make a donation, or partner with us as a funder, you help ensure rural neighbors have access to the care, connection, and community they deserve.
Funders are welcome to direct their support toward specific priorities—such as particular destinations, counties or communities, or populations served, such as seniors, veterans, or others—ensuring your investment creates the impact that matters most to you.
Learn more about how to volunteer as a driver, donate to support mileage reimbursements, or how to partner with us by emailing transportation@wcmcaa.org.