Air Force Veteran Hikes Miles of Rough Terrain To Restore Power To Asheville VA Hospital – Guy D. McCardle
Hurricanes can be devastating, and Hurricane Helene hit the people of North Carolina particularly hard. Millions were without power, including the Asheville VA Medical Center.
The storm had rendered roads impassable due to flooding and debris, complicating restoration efforts. Amidst these challenges, Air Force veteran and Duke Energy journeyman lineman Matt Martinka, alongside his apprentice Nathan Curlee, undertook a formidable mission to restore power to the hospital.
Motivated by a deep sense of duty to fellow veterans, Martinka, who comes from a lineage of military service—including his father, grandfather, and son—volunteered for the task. “I heard in the office there was a chance we could get the VA backfed and get the VA hospital back on,” Martinka recounted. “I come from a long line of [military] family—my dad, my grandpa, all my nieces, I was Air Force, my son is a Marine—so I said, ‘Hey, I want this.’”
The journey to the hospital was fraught with obstacles. With roads washed out and blocked by fallen trees, Martinka and Curlee embarked on a strenuous 1.5-mile hike through rugged, muddy terrain. “Every step, you were almost losing your boots in the mud,” Martinka described. Upon reaching their destination, they faced the challenge of climbing utility poles caked in mud to establish a temporary power line, ensuring the hospital could operate while permanent repairs were underway.
Hurricanes can be devastating, and Hurricane Helene hit the people of North Carolina particularly hard. Millions were without power, including the Asheville VA Medical Center.
The storm had rendered roads impassable due to flooding and debris, complicating restoration efforts. Amidst these challenges, Air Force veteran and Duke Energy journeyman lineman Matt Martinka, alongside his apprentice Nathan Curlee, undertook a formidable mission to restore power to the hospital.
Motivated by a deep sense of duty to fellow veterans, Martinka, who comes from a lineage of military service—including his father, grandfather, and son—volunteered for the task. “I heard in the office there was a chance we could get the VA backfed and get the VA hospital back on,” Martinka recounted. “I come from a long line of [military] family—my dad, my grandpa, all my nieces, I was Air Force, my son is a Marine—so I said, ‘Hey, I want this.’”
The journey to the hospital was fraught with obstacles. With roads washed out and blocked by fallen trees, Martinka and Curlee embarked on a strenuous 1.5-mile hike through rugged, muddy terrain. “Every step, you were almost losing your boots in the mud,” Martinka described. Upon reaching their destination, they faced the challenge of climbing utility poles caked in mud to establish a temporary power line, ensuring the hospital could operate while permanent repairs were underway.
Martinka and Curlee had some tough going to meet their objective, but despite the thick mud and overgrown vegetation, they made it. Image Credit: Duke Energy
Curlee reflected on the significance of their efforts:
“I feel like we, in our own way, gave back. I mean, them guys have given so much, so in our own way we gave it back to them.”
Duke Energy said the following in a statement to People Magazine: “We are proud of Matt and Nathan for raising their hands to take on the important challenge of restoring the VA facility in Asheville following the aftermath of Helene. Their dedication is commendable, as is the commitment shown by thousands of teammates and workers from other utilities who have continued to support our customers and communities.”
Their dedication exemplifies the resilience and commitment of those who serve, both in military and civilian capacities. By overcoming formidable challenges to restore power to a critical facility, Martinka and Curlee ensured that the Asheville VA Medical Center could continue its vital mission of serving veterans in need.
