ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — When Tropical Storm Helene left Western North Carolina in late September, the region was devastated. Dozens of people were dead, hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed, thousands of people were without electricity and water and hundreds of roads and bridges were gone.
Amid the chaos, a familiar voice emerged — Melanie Wilkinson, co-host of the Mix 96.5 Morning Show. Wilkinson, who was manning the show alone while co-host Crystal Brown was on maternity leave, said she became a “first informer” in the days immediately after the storm.
“Radio was really the only thing keeping people alive and keeping people informed about what to do. It was crazy,” she said.
Wilkinson has been named a national Gracie Award winner by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. She received the Gracie Award for Crisis Coverage/Breaking News in the Radio — Local for her reporting in the aftermath of Helene. The Gracie Awards honor outstanding programming created by, for and about women in media.
“This is one of the most important things I’ve ever done with my career and possibly one of the most meaningful things I’ve done with my life,” she said. “To come alongside and give a voice to so many hurting people across Asheville in the entire Western North Carolina region has been one of my greatest honors.”
Wilkinson submitted about a 10-minute compilation of some of the calls and coverage in the direct aftermath of Helen.
Wilkinson said the recognition was especially meaningful given the circumstances.
“This Gracie Award is an incredible honor, and I’m proud to represent a resilient community whose voices and stories needed to be heard. It was truly a team effort by everyone at Asheville Media Group,” she said. “They stepped up to the plate when Asheville needed them and when the community needed them, and we literally became not really first responders but first informers.”
During the storm’s aftermath, Wilkinson kept listeners across Asheville and Western North Carolina informed with real-time updates on shelter locations, food and fuel availability, and recovery resources. With roads washed out and power disrupted, local radio served as a lifeline for many in the region. Wilkinson also opened phone lines for callers to share on-the-ground information, helping crowdsource vital updates for the community.
“Melanie’s work during Hurricane Helene is a powerful reminder of the role local radio plays in times of emergency,” said Steve Richards, operations director at Asheville Media Group. “Her dedication to serving our community made a real difference, and we’re incredibly proud to see her recognized on the national stage.”
Wilkinson will be honored along with other local and student award recipients at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 18 in New York City. National honorees will be celebrated at a gala in Los Angeles on May 20.
“Among all these incredible women that do crazy good things way bigger than I do, it’s just going to be really good to keep Asheville in the limelight. let them know what’s going on, that we still need help, we still need people to come and visit and for people not to forget the stories and forget what happened here. Just really, I’m feeling like an ambassador for Western North Carolina and the award is not about me. It’s about their stories.”
Named for comedian and media pioneer Gracie Allen, the Gracie Awards have recognized industry leaders such as Carol Burnett, Robin Roberts, Hoda Kotb and Taylor Swift. The awards are the largest fundraiser for the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, which supports educational programs and scholarships for women in the industry.
For more information and a full list of 2025 Gracie Award winners, visit www.allwomeninmedia.org.