ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WTVM) - Before and after Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida, search and rescue plus massive cleanup continues near Asheville North Carolina, devastated by Helene.

A pro kayaker from Phenix City and his family are helping victims there and veterans in the Chattahoochee Valley.

Looking for survivors of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina a 21-year-old world-class kayaker from east Alabama says it’s difficult but needed. Mason Hargrove is helping up there through the sport he loves, turning pro in that sport at age 15.

“Starting out (in kayaking), I never thought that I would be using my skills to save people’s lives,” the world-class kayaker said.

When he’s back home on the Chattahoochee River, Mason competed in the kayak freestyle world championship. The three-time Team USA competitor and his family also help lead a nonprofit in Columbus to teach kayaking to active and retired military - getting them on the water for free.

“I think it’s (water) a really good therapeutic place for a lot of people,” Mason Hargrove said.

He’s gone from teacher to now first responder in mountain towns near Asheville where he’s competed for years at the largest extreme kayak race in the world. Mason and other kayakers first paddled class 5 rapids or hiked...to get hundreds of pounds of canned goods, gasoline, produce to people trapped by Helene’s devastation.

“We were able to navigate down this river and get to a section that you can only get to via kayak or helicopter,” Mason Hargrove said.

“For my kids to see people loving and trusting...and us trusting too that Jesus could use us,” his mom Melissa Hargrove said.

That includes using Mason to rescue storm survivors, like one man who was stuck.

“I was able to get him across the river, get him home to grab a few personal items. He was telling me the story, he heard a jet engine...but knew it wasn’t a jet engine because it was raining and it was a mudslide headed straight for his house, so he ran out the front door to save himself,” Mason Hargrove said.

The goal where he’s from is also saving former soldiers, as they deal with potential trauma from military service. Mason’s mom Melissa Hargrove is the Columbus GA chapter coordinator for Team River Runner, which you can learn more about here .

“It’s a way to get an adrenaline rush, but mostly it’s a way to get a community of people together. Again, it’s people loving people,” Melissa Hargrove said. “Not just kayak but we go and grab pizza afterwards or tacos after we’ve been on the water.”

“We got a huge group (Team River Runner) together in the Nantahala Gorge about a month ago and just had a great time, got people stoked on the water,” Mason Hargrove said.

They’re helping veterans and also North Carolinians, where Mason says he’ll continue missions as long as he’s useful. Hear our full chat here .