Sandy Not Forgotten Ten Years Later

I think by now everyone knows that Saturday was the 10^th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy hitting the Jersey Shore and of course other parts of our state and region. When we got our first-look at the damage and devastation it was hard to imagine that places like Ortley Beach, Mantoloking and all the way up to Sea Bright would ever look the same again.  While you can still see signs of the storm and the rebuild is not complete the comeback along the shore has been better than anyone could have imagined.

At the time my mother lived in Seaside Heights and she of course was evacuated and not able to even see her home for months.  Amazingly the water line stopped inches shy of entering the first floor and when residents were allowed back in she was truly among the lucky ones.  Many others were not.

Who will ever forget the iconic picture of the Jet Star roller coaster which once occupied the end of the Casino Pier and sat in the ocean for months?  That received news coverage all over the world and in its own way was a tourist attraction once the town opened up again. While much of the focus was on the shore much of the damage came from those who lived close to the bay.  There were no dunes to protect them as high tide came rolling in and homes were destroyed.

A simple fact is that Sandy chased many away from homes that had been in their families for generations.  Those who owned bungalows all along the shore lost everything and many did not have the appetite to try and rebuild.  Speaking of rebuilding requirements forced most to lift their homes and go higher.  Many did not have adequate insurance and there are endless stories of financial frustrations and horrors which continue to this day.

Of course some will tell you that Sandy was a once in a lifetime storm and here’s hoping it was. I guess that would be partly based on whose lifetime you’re talking about…mine or my 3-year old grandson.