Hurricane season is here, and Debby is headed straight for us. Fayetteville is already cloudy and experiencing intermittent showers. The dreary morning has got me thinking about the story of the Gray Man.

Have y’all ever heard it? The legend originated in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. I don’t know how it made its way into Southeastern North Carolina culture, but it did. I grew up on it in Wilmington.

Ebie recounted the story anytime a storm blew through when we were kids. Naturally, I memorized it. It goes a little something like this:

The Legend of The Gray Man

In 1822, a young man was deeply in love with a beautiful woman from Pawleys Island. Eager to return to his beloved, the young man embarked on a journey to the island after a long absence. He rode his horse through the treacherous marshes and sandy trails, filled with excitement and anticipation.

Sadly, tragedy struck when his horse stumbled in the thick marshlands, throwing him into quicksand. Despite his desperate struggle, he was swallowed by the mire, leaving his fiancée heartbroken.

The young woman, devastated by the loss of her love, mourned deeply. Lost in sorrow, she began taking long walks along the beach.

While walking along the shore one day, she spotted a mysterious figure in the distance. The person was dressed in gray and appeared to be solemn. As she drew closer, she thought she recognized him as her lost love.

Excitedly, she ran toward the figure with her arms raised. However, when she reached the spot where he had been standing, no one was there.

Confused, she spun around looking for him. And again, he emerged out in the distance. The sad figure raised his arm and pointed to the mainland.

When the woman returned home and recounted her experience, her father took it as a sign that they needed to evacuate the island.

Shortly after, a devastating hurricane swept through Pawleys Island. Their home was destroyed, but their lives were spared.

Is the Gray Man real? I don’t know. But he has been seen numerous times, always before a major hurricane. He was seen before the Sea Islands Hurricane in 1893. Again, in 1954, before Hurricane Hazel. Then, in 1989, before Hurricane Hugo.

As far as I know, he’s never been seen in North Carolina – but we do heed his warnings. And though I know he’s a Pawleys Island resident, that has never stopped me from going down to the beach to search for him before an incoming storm.