restore the shorethe story of super storm sandy

a GOLDEN CHILDREN productiontemple university

photojournalism ©2012

restore the shore

To the victims, families, residents and survivors of the storm

This one’s for you, New Jersey.

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Brigantine, New Jersey

ContentsPart I : The Destruction

-Atlantic city, nj- 17-Brigantine, nj- 33-Long Beach Island, nj- 57-Ocean City, NJ- 85-Seaside Heights, nj- 99-Atlantic Highlands, NJ- 113

Part II : The Untouched 131

-Outside Organizations- 145 -Locals- 157-Relief- 167

Part III : Rebuilding

Part IV : Sentiments 183

“The devastation we’ve seen over the last week is not something that can be rebuilt overnight. And I have to tell you a hard truth, next summer is not going to be like last summer.” -Governor Chris Christie

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Part I: THe Destruction

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restore the shoreAtlantic City

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Brigantine

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restore the shoreRebuilding

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restore the shoresentiments

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Danielle Parsons

Ihavetoadmit,whenIfirstheardahurricanewascomingIthoughtnothingofit.HurricaneIrenewasperceivedtobeoneoftheworststormsinhistoryandtherewasminorflooding,ifthat.MyparentstookthenecessaryprecautionsandpreparedourOceanCity,NJhouseforIrene.Ourbackyardhadacoupleofinchesofwaterbutwewerethankfulthatwasit.Itseemedlikemoreofaheadachethanitreallywasworth. MyfamilyheededthewarningforSandyandpreparedtheshorehouse,butastheweekendwentonand“frankenstorm”snuckuponusitsuddenlybecamerealthatthiswasnojoke.SundayrolledaroundandIfoundmyselfgluedtoeverynewssourcemyphoneandtelevisionIcouldaccess.IdecidedtoheadhometoBucksCountytobewithmyfamily;MayorNutterdeclaredPhiladelphiainastateofemergencyandthelastthingIwantedwastobebymyselfthroughitall. WhenIarrivedatmyparents’houseIimmediatelywentstraighttothelivingroomandIcouldn’tbelievewhatIsaw;theoceanhadmetthebayacrossthecoastofNewJerseyandmyheartsank.NewJerseyhasbeenmysecondhomemywholelife,especiallytheshore.Aboutayearandahalfago,myfathersurprisedmymotherbypurchasingahomeinOceanCity.Ithadbeenmymothersdreamtohaveahomedowntheshorebutwecouldneveraffordit.MyfamilyhadbeenthroughalotfinanciallysinceIcouldremember,andIknowmyfatherworkedveryhard.Thethoughtofitwashingawaywasdevastating.ThelookonmymothersfacewhenshesawthefootageonthenewsissomethingIwillneverforget.Seeingaparentcryisoneoftheworstfeelingsintheworld.Helplessnesshadsetin;thiswasoutofourhands.Allanyonecoulddowaswait.Itwasoneofthefirsttimesprayedinsixyears. ThenextdaymymotherandIsatonthecouchtogetheralldaywatchingeverynewschannelthatwasbroadcastingthestorminhopeswecouldmaybesomehowseeourhouse.Uponallthesulking,IrealizedhowluckyIwastobesittinginmyhome,withmyfamilysafeandsound.Ifwelosttheshorehousewecouldrebuild.Peoplehadlosteverything,evenlovedones.Weweresafe,alive,andwell;wehadeachotherandthatwasenough. ThisprojectissomethingIdidnottakelightly.Peoplehadlosteverything,townsthatwereoncelivelythreemonthsagowereinruins,andliveswerelost.IwantedtocoverasmanyshoretownsacrossthecoastasIcould.EveryonetownhadastorytotellandIwantedtomakesuretheyweretoldinthebestwaypossible.OneofthemanythingsItookawayfromthisexperiencewasnevertotakeanythingforgranted.It’sveryeasytodowhetherpeopleliketoadmititornot.You’reusedtothingsalwaysbeingacertainway,neverthinkingtomorrowcouldbeacompletelydifferentstory.Thetri-stateareaonlytook24hourstochangeforever.

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“It was one of the first times I prayed in

six years.”

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“At that point I knew that what I should expect was the worst,

and to be honest, that’s what I saw.”

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Courtney marabella AftertropicalstormSandyhitafewweeksago,likemostpeople,Iturnedtothenewsstationsforcoverage.Iwatchedthevideos,Ilookedatthepictures,Ireadthestories,andallofthemweredevastating.However,itwasdevastatingtomeinthesamewaythateventslikeHurricaneKatrinaortheearthquakeinHaitiwere;itmademesad,andIfelthorribleforthepeopleinvolved,butIwasalsoveryfarremovedfromit.ThatreallychangedthispastweekendwhenIvisitedtheshorewithsomeofmyclassmates.OnourfirstdaywevisitedAtlanticCityandBrigantine,andinawayitwaslikeweweresubconsciouslyeasingourselvesin.AtlanticCityseemedpracticallyuntouched,asidefromsomeconstructioncrewsrebuildingthejettiesonthebeach.Brigantinewasworse.Thebeachwaspracticallygoneinsomeareas,andhousesalongtheshoresufferedintensedamage;onehouselookedlikeithadcaughtonfirewhileanentireapartmentbuildingonthebeachwascondemned.Andalthoughthehousesmoreinlandweren’tasobviouslydamaged,thepilesoftrashlyingonthestreetoutsideofthemindicatedthattheyhadsufferedlossesaswell.AndthentherewasLongBeachIsland,ourlaststopofthetrip.AtfirstIwasn’texactlysurewhattoexpect-Ihadheardthattheislandwasinprettybadshape-butasweapproachedthebridgetotheislandIwasgivenaprettylargeindicatorintheformofthreeboatslayingonthesideofthehighway.AtthatpointIknewthatwhatIshouldexpectwastheworst,andtobehonest,that’swhatIsaw.Therewerebeachfronthouseswiththebottomportionscompletelytornaway;thepilesofsandwerereminiscentofsnowafterablizzard;debriswaseverywhere-atonepointwesawawaterheaterjustlyinginsomeone’sdriveway;houseswereknockedoffoftheirfoundations,andinonecase,ahouseschimneywasonthegroundinshamblesnexttoit.Therewereliterallyboatseverywhere;onthesideofthehighway,onpeoplesfrontlawns,overturnedondocks,therewasevenoneboatthathadcrashedintothebackofahouse.Butthethingthatreallygottomewaswalkingalongthebeachandthebay,andseeingredslipsofcondemnationonalmosteverysinglehouse.It’sjustdevastatingbecauseyouknow,standingtherelookingatthosestructures,thatsomeonemayhavesavedtheirentirelifetobuythathouse,thatsomepeoplemayhavespenteverysummeroftheirlivesthere,orthatnow,theyhadnowheretogobecausethathousewastheirpermanentresidence.Butinthewakeofdisasteryoudoendupseeingthebestinpeople,andthankfullyforthepeopleontheisland(andouremotionsthatday)therewerereliefworkers,fromtheRedCross,stationedthere,helpingasbesttheycouldtogetresidentsbackontheirfeetbyhandingouthotmeals,snacks,blankets,flashlights,etc.Therewasevenanicecreamtruckthere,givingoutfreeicecream.WhatIreallygotoutofthisexperienceisthatinsomecases,youcan’treallyrelyonthenewsorpicturesorvideotogaugeyourunderstandingofasituation.AndIfeelsillysayingthatsinceIamaphotojournalist,andmyjobistotakethosepicturesthatwilltellthestory,butlikeIsaidearlier,thatstillmakesmefeelfarremovedfromasituation.Sometimes,Ifeel,youreallyneedtoexperienceit,evenifit’sjustonce,becausethatwillstaywithyouandgiveyouanideaofwhatsituationslikethisreallyentail.InthiscaseIamkindofgladthatthiswasaccessibleenoughformetogosee,firsthand,whathadhappened.Beingthere,seeingallofthedestruction,andtheRedCrossstationedthere,reallyputinperspectivethatthisstuffdoeshappen,andnotjustinfarawayplaceswhereitcan’taffectme,butanywhere,evenanhouraway.Andasscaryasthatis,itreallyissomethingtobeawareof.Wecan’tdistanceourselvesfromdisastersandsaythattheydon’thappenwherewe’refrom,thattheyonlyhappentootherpeople,becauseatsomepointintimethey’llcomeknockingatourdoors.

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Shayna Kleinberg

Howdoyoudescribeanaturaldisaster?Catastrophic,moving,devastating,destructiveandupsettingareafewwaystobegin.VisitingtheshoreafterHurricaneSandyIwasexpectingtragedyateveryturn,destructiononeveryblockandimagesofpeoplecryingoverruinedshorehouses.Tomysurprise,havingvisitedtheislandofAtlanticCityoneweekafterthestorm,therewasnotmuchdamagedoneorproblemsleft.Thestreetswerecoveredinsand,butotherthanthat,theshoremansionsstayedinperfectcondition. LongportandMargatelookednexttospotless,likearainstormhadcomethroughanddoneverylittledamagebesidesmovingsomesandaround.AsIgotclosertoAtlanticCityandthehousesgotsmaller,themoredamageIsaw.Althoughthebeachhadbeencoveredwithdebrisandtrashatonepoint,asIstoodbeforethesandyshoresitlooksimmaculate,asclearastheskiesthatglowedabovetheground.Moundsofsandhadalreadybeenpiledupandthetownshadbeenrestored.However,noteverythingwasbacktonormal.TheentireshoppingstriponVentnorAveinMargatewasgone.Allofthestoreshadcompletelyevacuatedtheirbelongingsandleftmostofitonthestreet.Nostalgicicecreamshopswitheredtonothingbutasignsaying“Closed”. EventhoughSandycausedalotofproblemsandexpenses,Ihaveagreatfeelingthatthestorewillbefullyrestoredbythetimesummerrollsaround.Inasummertown,storeownersmustfeelalittlebetterknowingthatthereisstillplentyoftimetorestoretheshopsbeforethesummerrushcomesbackaround.Itwillbealong,stressfuljourneyandonlytimewilltellifthetownswillbethesamecomenextsummer.Peopleareworkingtogethertocleanthebeachandfixthesidewalksandputthepiecesbacktogether. AsIwitnessedthedamagedonetothetownsIcouldonlybegratefulofthelevelofdamagedone,foritcould’vebeenmuch,muchworse.Intimesofnaturaldisastersyouseeagreatdealoffearineveryone.WordstorememberfromhurricaneSandy;caution,dangerandfear.Intheend,eventhoughpartsoftheAtlanticCityboardwalkweredestroyed,heapingpilesoftrashlinedthestreetsandmanystoreswerecompletelyevacuated,wecanlooktoourneighborsandsocietyforahelpinghandandappreciatethesituationsthatunifyusasmankind,puttinghandtohandtohelpgivereliefandasacommunity,reviveadamagedtown.Itisinthesecircumstancesthatthegoodinpeoplecomesoutandwecanseewhatwearereallymadeof.

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“In times of natural disasters you see a great

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“All I was accustomed to was New England winters that were brisk yet

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Indira jimenez

Hurricaneswerealwaysaweirdthingforme.IgrewuphearingabouthowmyfamilywouldbunkerdownforhurricanesleftandrightwhentheystilllivedintheDR.TheymayhavefeltandknownthetruereignofMotherNature,allIwasaccustomedtowasNewEnglandwintersthatwerebriskyetmanageable.WhenKatrinahit,IfeltforthepeopleofNewOrleansandtheareasaroundtheBigWeezy,butstill,Iwasdisassociatedfromtherealityofthestorm.WhenSandyhit,Ihatetosay,Iwasonceagainunawareoftheintensityofwhathadhappened.WhileIwasbunkeringdownwithfriendsandlookingforwardtonoclassesfortwodays,IwasoblivioustothedisasterthatclaimedtheEasternseaboard.Ontopofallthat,48hoursbeforeSandyhit,IwasenjoyingagirlstripwithmymotherinBrooklyn,neverexpectingthatthebeautifulpromenadeofBrooklynHeightsthatwewereexploringwouldbesubmergedbySandy.Itwasn’tuntilIvisitedtheshoretownsofOceanCity,Brigantine,andSeasideHeightsthatIwouldunderstandtherealityofSandy,andit’ssomethingthatcan’tbeignored.Householditemsthatwealltakeforgrantedweredestroyedandleftatthesideoftheroadtobetakenaway,homeswerecastawayliketrash,andthebelovedboardwalksoftheJerseycoastlinewerepoundedtosandyabysses.Nowit’stimeforaction:ourprojectwillhelpdocument,capture,andinformthepublicgoodoftherealityofSandy.

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Charlotte jacobson

Hurricane. Super storm. Natural disaster. Tropical Storm. Too many words can describe a single event without truly understanding what it means. Hurricane Floyd was the first big storm I remember living through. As a seven-year-old, images of the creek overflowing onto my street are ingrained in my mind, and reappear every time a hurricane is scheduled to hit the coast. Hearing about disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in Japan affected me, but did not hit home because they took place so far away and no one I knew was personally affected. But after living through Hurricane Faye when I was in Florida, and Hurricane Irene in Philadelphia, I felt like the hurricanes I encountered would not be massively destructive. Then along came Sandy. I won’t lie, the news broadcasts declaring how damaging the “super storm” was going to be, had me nervous. But then it was over. Philadelphia was hit with no more than heavy rain, wind, and power outages. It wasn’t until I turned on the TV and saw the destruction that the Jersey shore and New York suffered that I realized how much impact the storm really had on those residents. When we decided to travel to the shore and cover the disaster and relief, I knew it was going to be an emotional ride. It is in my personality to feel for people. But I didn’t expect myself to strike up a conversation with a summer resident in Long Beach Island and have my heart sink into my stomach when he told me about the water that flooded several blocks inland from the beach. I didn’t expect to find myself climbing into a home destroyed by a boat thrown into the side of the house. And I never expected to find myself crying over a burnt, condemned home in Brigantine, New Jersey. The destruction throughout the shore towns was unreal. Places I had seen before on vacation looked like they had been moved into another world. I will never shake the visions of homeowners dumping all of their belongings onto the sidewalk. It’s sad that it takes a disaster for some people to reach out and help their neighbors. But the relief gave me so much hope. The ice cream man handing out free ice cream to put a smile on a child’s face who lost everything. The Red Cross dishing out free hot meals for people to bring home to their families. Even the group of volunteers from as far as Georgia who put together bags of clothes for anyone who needed them was amazing. After witnessing such kindness, I have faith that over time it will recover and rebuild to the glory of the New Jersey shore.

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“I will never shake the visions of homeowners dumping all of their

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“Some of the mental images and photographs I returned with looked like something out of a horrible

nightmare that none of us could wake up from.”

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Patrick Mcpeak

Afterhearingthenewsfrommybrotherandunclethatourshorehouseswerefine,IalmoststartedtuningoutalloftheSandynewsasitwashappening.IdidthinktheimageswereshockingbutIwasnowherenearpreparedtofacetherealityofthesituationwhenMarissa,Courtney,CharlotteandIfinallymadeitdowntothetownIcalledmysummerhomeforsomanyyears.Thedevastationwasveryrealandveryapparent.Ittookalottostomachsomeofthethingswesawonthatridein.BeingasailormyselfandspendingasignificantamountofmychildhooddowntheshoreinLongport,itisreallytoughformetoreacttotheSandyaftermathwithoutalotofemotion.GoingontoLongBeachIslandonSundaymorningwasoneofthetougherthingsI’vedoneasajournalist.SomeofthementalimagesandphotographsIreturnedwithlookedlikesomethingoutofahorriblenightmarethatnoneofuscouldwakeupfrom.Surrealandshocking,mostofuswalkedaroundwithourjawsagapeformostofthedaysurveyingwhatwehadknownandlovedastheJerseyShore.ItwasheartwarmingtoseetheoutreachoforganizationsthatweretheretohelpthevictimsbutIstillcouldn’thelpbutfeeltheywereverydissonanttotherealstruggleofthosewhohavecalledtheislandtheirhomeforsomanyyears.Asjournalists,weareethicallyboundtonotinterferewithoursurroundingsandjustreportonwhatisgoingonbutashumanbeingwereareethicallyboundtohelpothersinneed.ThisassignmenthasbeenthetoughestsofarinmycareerasajournalistandIamsurethatitwillstandasthetoughestforawhile.Notonlywasitphysicallydemandingtryingtocoverasmuchaswecouldinafewshortdays,therealdemandwasmentallyandemotionally.Almostasifviewingtheseincrediblenightmarishimages,suckedthesoulsrightoutofus.

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Marissa nicole pina TheJerseyShorewasalwaysmysecondhome,IgrewupinPointPleasantandspentmysummersinLongBeachIsland.Myfriendsandfamilystillliveattheshore,naturallywhenHurricaneSandywasprojectedtohitthecoastIwassentintoapanic.Ihadheardofthedamagefrommyfamilyafterallwassaidanddone,andofcourseseensomeoftheimagesonthenewsoncemyownfamilyregainedpower,butnothingpreparedmeforwhatIwasgoingtoseewhenItraveledbacktotheshorethisweekend. ThetownsIonceknewwererenderedcompletelyunrecognizablebystrongwindsandmassiveflooding.Thehomesofmyfriendsandrelativesalldeemedunfitforresidence.WalkingupanddownstreetsIhadwalkedenumerabletimeshadbeenlitteredwithdebris,4footsandpiles,andfurnitureandcarpetsfromthehomesthatlinedthem.IwasinutterdisbeliefthatthiswasthesameplaceIhadonceknown.Ithinkthemostdisturbingpartofitallwasthesombernatureoftheshoretowns.Ihadneverseentheislandssodark,deserted,norheardthembesovirtuallysilent.Thequietshookmetomycore.Whentherewasn’tcompletesilence,IheardcriesandyellsfromresidentsIhadoncesunbathedalongsidewithinthesummer.IheardtheunnaturalhumofmachinerywhereIonceheardtheoceancrashingagainstthejetties.ThestormhadcompletelydestroyedtheshoreandIwasinthemiddleofit,thinkingbacktothepeoplebackinPennsylvaniawhoclaimedthatHurricaneSandywasoverhypedandthatitwasn’teventhatdevastating.TheuttertruthwasthatSandycrushedapathdowntheJerseyshorethatcrippledthetownsandtheresidentswhocalledtheseplaceshome. WhenIspokewiththosewhomanagedtofindthewords,Irealizedthatthisstormhadreallyalteredthelivesofhundreds,ifnotthousands.Asajournalist,ItriedtomusterthecouragetospeaktothoseguttingtheirhomesorthosewhowerepickingupsuppliesfromtheRedCross,butIfoundithardtoputtogethertherightwords.MostpeopledidnotwanttotalkandafterallthatIhadseenIdidnotgetflusteredorupsetwiththelackofinterviewsIwasabletotake.IhadspokentomostofftherecordandeventhenIrealizedthiswasfartoosoon,toomuchofadevastatingtopictojustsharewithapassingstranger.TherawemotionthatIfeltfromtheresidentswhodidtaketheirtimetoexchangeafewfleetingwordswasindescribable.Thesepeoplehadlosteverythingandyetnoneseemtoharboranyangerorresentment.Itwasbeautifultowitnessthecommunitiesuniteandtrytoputthepiecesbacktogether,torebuildwhatoncewastheirhomes,theirlives.IwillforeverbealteredbywhatHurricaneSandyleftinherwakebutIfeelasenseofprideforwhereIcomefromandthestrengthofthepeoplewholivethere.

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“Ihadneverseentheislandssodark,deserted,norheardthembesovirtuallysilent.”

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Team LeaderDanielle Parsons

Book DesignPatrick McPeak

Marissa Nicole Pina

Photo CreditsDanielle Parsons

Courtney MarabellaCharlotte JacobsonMarissa Nicole Pina

Patrick McPeakMike Wojcik

Indira JimenezShayna KleinbergAlex UdowenkoNickee PlaksenKelsey Dubinsky

Copy EditingMarissa Nicole Pina

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