ASHEVILLE, NC — Dave Graham, a medically retired U.S. Navy veteran, was away from his Swannanoa donation hub in late October when he received alarming news: someone had allegedly stolen the supplies meant for victims of Tropical Storm Helene. The items had been collected through Graham’s nonprofit, Hearts Hurt, and stored at a BP gas station in Swannanoa.
Graham had been volunteering in the area for weeks, living in a tent and helping supply much-needed resources to the community. On Oct. 25, while he was at home in Ohio, Graham received a text from Richard Neeb, a volunteer overseeing the donation hub. Neeb informed Graham that a man named Dr. Mark, whom Graham had become suspicious of, had allegedly stolen all the donated items, cut the tent with a razor, and run over Neeb’s friend on a scooter.
“I don’t see this guy volunteering,” Graham said of Dr. Mark, recalling earlier suspicions about the man’s behavior. Graham had noticed Dr. Mark showing up at unusual hours and suspected he was stealing supplies under the guise of distributing them to Helene victims. “I had a suspicion he was stealing,” Graham told the Citizen Times, explaining how he had observed Dr. Mark rummaging through high-value items, like flashlights, at the donation station.
The alleged theft was captured on video, and Graham immediately began communicating with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 28. According to Graham, the footage shows Dr. Mark stealing supplies from the donation hub.
Graham had been introduced to Dr. Mark earlier in his volunteer efforts when he was told the doctor was from Florida and had additional donations to contribute. But as Graham grew more concerned, he started to question the doctor’s true intentions.
Now, Graham is working with authorities to investigate the incident and bring the alleged thief to justice. His nonprofit, Hearts Hurt, continues to support victims of Tropical Storm Helene, though the incident has shaken his trust in the volunteer network.
