Body of Man’s Fiancée Found Days After She Went Missing amid Hurricane Helene: 'She Is at Peace'

Mar. 15, 2025

Julie Le Roux and John Norwood.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

The family of Julie Le Roux told PEOPLE that tragically, she “did not survive.”

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of John’s fiancé [sic], Julie,” John Norwood’s sister Maggie wrote in a message shared on aGoFundMepage. “Unfortunately she did not survive the storm.”

John Norwood and Julie le Roux.Missing in McDowell Helene 2024 Facebook

Missing in McDowell Helene 2024 Facebook

“Thank you all for your continuous prayers and support,” Maggiewrotein a separate post on Facebook. “The Marion community showed up and showed out and I can’t express how much that meant to us. Now we pray for peace and acceptance.”

McDowell County officials stated in a press release Friday that one fatality has been reported related to Helene thus far, though they did share the identity of the deceased.

The area where John Norwood and Julie le Roux’s house previously stood.GoFundMe

“I crawled around screaming, looking for her, and I just couldn’t find her,” he told ABC News in tears, adding that they all “got washed downriver.”

Norwood waseventually rescuedand hospitalized for his injuries, but has since been released.

Speaking withThe News & Observerbefore Le Roux’s body was found, he said he was “praying for a miracle.”

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NBC News reported that as of Friday, over 220 people have been reported dead in the aftermath of Helene and hundreds more are still unaccounted for. Homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood Randall previously told ABC News that there could be up to “600 people unaccounted for."

“It’s hard to describe,” Capt. Chad Arnold told PEOPLE earlier this week of Helene, whichmade landfallon Thursday, Sept. 26, as a Category 4 hurricane.

“It’s a biblical event, something you would never expect to see or witness,” he said. “The devastation is so bad.”

To learn more about how to help with relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Helene,click here.

source: people.com