Rainbow bridge in Wilmington replaces beloved WNC pet landmark lost to Helene
Last September, Hurricane Helene rushed through Lake Lure, sweeping away much of the town, including its Rainbow Bridge — a shrine to beloved pets.
Hundreds of people came from across the country to hang collars on the colorful bridge railings, so many that they completely covered the wood.
But with that bridge gone, animal lovers in Wilmington stepped up to recreate the memorial in their own city, inviting a new collection of tributes to four-legged companions.
“Being a coastal community, everybody here is really well-versed in what it feels like to go through such a tragedy,” said Susan Chesson, a leader with the nonprofit Big Paw Project. “We’ve seen it here where you’ve got no choice but to come together. When the Rainbow Bridge washed away, it was tragedy on top of tragedy.”
Big Paws leads drives for pet supplies — everything from dog food to paper towels — and it teamed up with a Wilmington Eagle Scout on the hunt for a project.
At 14, Andrew Fairfull has his own adopted dog, Nellie, along with several fish and a hermit crab named Tank.
“I’m still working with my mom to get a lizard,” he said.
But his bridge project grew out of the memory of his first dog Ruger, who died in 2016.
“That,” he said in a text Tuesday, “was my first understanding of loss.”
Together, the scout and Big Paws volunteers landscaped a section of the 190-acre Greenfield Lake Park, replacing the rotten planks of an aging bridge, power-washing and painting and installing two benches — one dedicated to service animals and one to those lost in Helene.
The South Carolina town of Folly Beach recently installed its own rainbow bridge aimed at replacing the version lost to Helene, according to the Post & Courier, accumulating 31 collars in the first week.
In Wilmington, the bridge has drawn 40 tributes since its opening Friday: leashes, collars, harnesses and one photo tribute.
“I didn’t take it off to read it,” Chesson said. “It’s hard for me to not go by every day and see who’s visiting. I’ll kind of go off to the side and let them have their time.”
Being in Wilmington, in a lush subtropical climate, the love for animals necessarily extends beyond those with fur. But the rainbow bridge is situated closer to the road than the lake, meaning visitors can keep safe distance from the abundant reptiles.
“There were definitely some swamp moments in the building,” Chesson said. “But it’s not anywhere where there’s going to be an alligator.”
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This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Rainbow bridge in Wilmington replaces beloved WNC pet landmark lost to Helene."