Yannis Sarigiannidis Hicksville, New York

Yannis Sarigiannidis My Journey Through Hurricane Sandy In the past week Hurricane Sandy devastated the east coast. Many people have lost homes, power, and much more. I was one of the many people who have been affected by Sandy’s wrath. When the storm first hit it came quietly to the area I live. It progressively began to get worse as the day turned to night. Power in my home began to flicker on and off until it completely shut off. The tree with the power line for my entire block fell down. A tree in front of my house also fell over during the horrific storm. Fences pieces began to blow away in the back of my house. I for a brief moment I needed to stand out in the storm at its worst so I could move a generator around my house. The winds were howling and intense. Objects were being blown everywhere dangerously. It was dark and raining hard. Being out in the storm was an adrenaline rush. Being out in the storm for only a few brief moments was a freighting experience. The next day my family and I, who thankfully no one was hurt, found the pieces of our fence that blew away and fixed them. We hooked up wires around our home only to discover a gas powered generator can only do so much. So we could only have a few lights, keep the food in our refrigerator cold and watch one TV. Many people also had generators that needed gas, so everyone began to go to gas station. These gas stations began to run out of gas. People waited in line for hours. We barely got enough to fill the generator everyday. Food in our home had to be served cold because we had nothing to cook it on. Mostly sandwiches were eaten, because there was no other way to cook food. A few days later Halloween came around. Many people couldn’t do much because of the devastation. I was able to take my younger sister Trick or Treating around the neiborhood. Many of the streets nearby were blocked off by trees so we could not go very far. People began getting frustrated from the large lines and lack of power. Weeks later power returned in my home. The tree that fell with our power line was finally cleared. Days are getting back to normal. Things are still difficult and will be for a little while longer. Homework has piled up and will get done over time. Repairs will be made eventually. Many people have lost everything they hold dear to them. Nassau Community College has become a shelter for the people now homeless from the storm. Power and clean-up crews are everywhere trying to do what they can. I felt such joy when the crews finally brought power back to the area I live in. It gave back a sense of normalcy. Gas lines are beginning to cut down. Slowly and progressively things are turning normal again. Living through this storm helps teach how to prepare for the next storm. Hopefully everyone’s power will be restored soon, homes will be fixed, and lives will go back to normal. This experience I probably will never forget. This was my journey through Hurricane Sandy.