‘Cross Creek Hero’ continues to lend a hand

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —  Nearly seven months ago, one man stepped up to rescue his devastated community after Hurricane Florence made its mark. Do you remember Greg Lovell — the “Cross Creek hero”?

“I can’t even be in my own driveway without someone stopping and saying hello or [telling me] where there at in their house repairs or we’ve got power turned on so I’m going to cook on a hot plate tonight for the first time in six months in my own kitchen,” Greg Lovell said.

There’s no doubt that Florence changed lives, but it also led to a career change for Lovell.

“The day that all the debris was finally picked up and everything was gone, it was like a light switch,” Lovell said. “Everybody’s demeanor and whole morale was like ‘Everything is going to be okay.’ They didn’t have to look at all of their possessions that meant nothing anymore and they didn’t have to be reminded that everything was lost.”

The Cross Creek subdivision in Hampstead is still on the long road to recovery. Neighbors say Lovell has been leading the community every step of the way.

“I was evacuated initially,” Cross Creek Subdivision resident Ken Licata said. “When we came back after 10 or 12 days, Greg really took control of the situation with this community providing great guidance to everybody that was in here by setting up logistics, getting supplies and  helping people.”

After losing his job in December, Lovell decided to take the walk of faith on a new venture and started “Quality Home Repair” as a business devoted to helping neighbors who still have hurricane damage.

“We have a vast amount of contractors in the area because of the hurricane,” Lovell said. “No one knows if they’re local , if they’re legitimate or if they can trust them. [Contractors] prices are also really high because they can charge whatever they want to charge right now.”

Lovell adds filling the desperate void in his community has also blessed him.

“Before, I was so concentrated on what I wanted to do, what I thought was right and what I thought I needed to do,” Lovell said. “I think the biggest thing I have realized through this whole process is that there’s a greater need.”

Lovell says he enjoys helping people and appreciates the flexibility of getting to see family and friends every day. As long as he is able to lend a helping hand and provide for himself, he says his future business plan options are open.