After coming to America from Cuba on a raft in 1995, Amalfi Sanchez faced hard times again in March 2013 when he became homeless after a job opportunity in North Carolina fell through. Despite these struggles, his faith gives him hope to continue to follow his dreams. With help from the community, Amalfi accomplishes some of those dreams.
Rachel Deal is known as “The Mother of Avery County” because she has a heart for helping everyone she encounters. At age 82, she doesn’t let anything hold her back. She has made it through a number of life threatening health problems and feels that God has kept her alive for a reason. She is on 15 committees as well as volunteering the nursing home and senior center. Not only does she care about making a difference for the future of her town, but she also believes that knowing where you come from is of utmost importance to life. Her family had a hand a lot of the town’s history, making her a trusted living history of Crossnore, NC.