You know the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished”? Well, that’s pretty much what happened to Jordan Seidhom, a former law enforcement officer turned volunteer pilot, who just wanted to save some lives in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods in the North Carolina mountains. This guy, with over 1,400 flight hours and a background in law enforcement, had the nerve—*the nerve*—to use his helicopter to rescue stranded families. Imagine that.
Seidhom, along with his teenage son, Landon, saw people in need and did what anyone with a helicopter and a heart would do—he flew in with food, water, and a can-do attitude. Their efforts weren’t just a token attempt; they pulled off actual rescues, including getting a couple off a crumbling mountainside and helping two women who had run out of food and water while stranded at an Airbnb. Sounds like hero stuff, right? Not to everyone.
On his second day of saving lives, things took a turn. Seidhom spotted a woman waving for help, and with some precise flying, he and his son managed to land on the remains of a driveway, get her out, and prepare to go back for her husband. But, of course, that’s when local bureaucracy decided to show up. A fire official shut down the entire operation and threatened to arrest Seidhom for “interfering.” Yep, apparently saving people was getting in the way of… something.
Seidhom, who had been coordinating with local first responders the whole time, tried to explain that he had left his son and the woman’s husband on the mountain and needed to go back for them. But the fire chief wasn’t having any of it. His brilliant plan? Leave them there. Because that’s helpful. The official even called in backup and threatened Seidhom with arrest if he continued his rescue efforts.
The kicker? Within 30 minutes of this little power trip, a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) was slapped over the Lake Lure gap. Coincidence? Doubtful.
So, instead of focusing on saving people, Seidhom was left trying to navigate the politics of who gets to help and when. If this doesn’t make you question the priorities of some local authorities, nothing will. You’ve got a guy risking his neck to save lives, and they’re worried about “interference”? Classic.
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