As Thanksgiving approached last fall, there was little question where Leela Livis would spend it. While she’d lived in Cullowhee most of her adult life, the 32-year-old often returned to her hometown of Hendersonville to see her mother, Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, and help look after her two youngest siblings. In Cullowhee, Livis’ life was simple and structured. She lived alone in a small cabin surrounded by books, plants, and art, and she worked full-time as a payroll specialist.