Five weeks after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and moved inland, causing catastrophic flooding in multiple southeastern states, Hallmark Channel star Kristoffer Polaha returned to the site of one of his biggest Hallmark movies — the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina — one of Helene’s hardest-hit areas.
On October 30, 2024, Polaha shared via social media that he’d returned for an emotional visit at the setting of his 2023 hit movie, “A Biltmore Christmas.” The time-travel love story, co-starring Bethany Joy Lenz, was filmed at the Biltmore Estate, which has been closed for repairs since Helene barreled through Asheville, knocking out power, water, and cell service to most residents for weeks.
Sharing an aerial view of the Biltmore and photos from his visit, Polaha said he came away inspired by how “resilient and filled with hope” the community is, noting that the Biltmore will re-open to the public on November 2 after weeks of “helping and healing their surrounding community in truly unbelievable ways.”
Kristoffer Polaha Says Stories of Devastation He Heard ‘Shook Me’
Polaha was invited as a special guest to visit the Biltmore Estate in advance of its re-opening, which has taken weeks of recovery work to prepare for. The site holds a special place in his heart since the cast and crew of “A Biltmore Christmas” spent weeks filming at the estate in early 2023 while the massive property was still decorated for its annual “Christmas at Biltmore” event.
“So much loss, the stories of loss I heard in the last 48 hours have shook me,” Polaha wrote in his post. “One man lost 13 family members. 1,801 people lost everything, an entire town in the region was washed away. Asheville is still without fresh drinking water. The damage is real, but so is the hope, and dogged determination, that the community will come back stronger than ever.”
“I met first responders today who put it all on the line to help their community,” he continued. “I heard about miners from Virginia who drove in equipment and opened up a road that would have otherwise been blocked for months. The stories of heroism and simple acts of kindness simply outweigh the stories of tragedy.”
“That said,” Polaha concluded, “they can still use your help. Find a way to jump in if you can.”
Many fans, including some impacted by Helene, thanked Polaha for visiting and sharing what the community has been through, including one who wrote, “Thank you so much for coming to our area and shining a light both on our devastation and our helpers 🙏”
Another wrote, “So sweet of you Kris to help and support the people of North Carolina who were deeply affected by hurricane helen. It must have been so special to be back at Biltmore too. Sending my continued prayers to all that have been affected 🙏🏻❤️”
On the same day Polaha posted about his trip, Biltmore Estate posted on social media that its team had achieved an important milestone ahead of its re-opening: raising a 35-foot Christmas tree in the Banquet Hall, an annual tradition that dates back to Christmas Eve 1895.
“Together, we face a mix of emotions this holiday season due to the impact of Hurricane Helene on our region,” the post said. “Reopening for the holidays is not only an important milestone toward recovery, it also provides critical support to our community, as our local economy relies on tourism. Your visit will help drive the recovery of our employees, neighbors, and friends.”
Team at Biltmore Estate Has Been Working to Restore Property for Past 5 Weeks
HallmarkBethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha in “A Biltmore Christmas”
Constructed in the late-1800s, the massive Biltmore Estate was the family home of famous entrepreneur George W. Vanderbilt. According to the Associated Press, the 250-room French chateau opened up to the public in the 1930s.
But by the 1950s, the estate was spiraling into debt and the Cecil family, who are descendants of Vanderbilt, took over operations, per the AP. The National Historic Landmark is still overseen by siblings Bill Cecil Jr. and Dini Pickering.
After Helene hit the Asheville area as a tropical storm on September 26, flood waters devastated Biltmore Village, originally built in the 1800s for employees of the Biltmore Estate, per Fox Weather.
Several days later, Biltmore shared on its website that it would be closed to visitors and overnight guests, initially estimating that the 8,000-acre property would re-open in mid-October. Though the Biltmore House did not sustain major damage, the entrance to the property required “extensive repairs,” the estate’s website said.
The estate also shared on Instagram at the time that “in forested areas, which is a large portion of the estate, wind damage is extensive to grounds and some structures. Crews have been working tirelessly to clear roads so we can begin repairs.”
On October 7, the Cecil family announced that it had created the Biltmore Relief Fund for WNC and pledged to donate $2 million for relief efforts in the community.
“A Biltmore Christmas” is scheduled to re-air on Hallmark Channel on November 4 at noon Eastern time. It is also one of the 10 new Hallmark movies available to view on Netflix beginning on November 1.
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