Caitlin Rosentraub, Long Beach

Once I was living in Long Beach. It was my home town for most of my life. It was known for its fantastic, big, beach. Thousands of people would come in hordes from everywhere just to get on the beach. If you were to see them from the sky, they would look like a huge mass of colors covering every inch of sand. However, Long Beach is now in pieces. Long Beach was a medium sized town on the southern part of Long Island. It was seen as a summer vacation hotspot and a home to those who lived there. Although the town’s beach was the main tourist attraction, it was the 2 mile long boardwalk that lured them in. People would come to the boardwalk for many reasons, such as exercising, getting on the beach, buying items and checking out the scenery. All of the summer homes and hotels were right on the beach, giving those who lived there the perfect view of the water. I would visit Long Beach on the weekends to see my friends and family, which made me happy. Recently there was a storm coming, but I thought it wasn’t going too bad. I was wrong. The day Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island was the worst day to be in Long Beach. Although I wasn’t there to witness the storm, my sister and dad were. The storm was surging and flooding the streets. My dad told me it looked like the ocean was outside the front of the house. The water rushed down the driveway and was coming through the door fast. The water was also entering the house through the toilet, bringing sewage along with it. My sister and father had no choice but to go upstairs to escape. Meanwhile, I, my mother, and my grandparents were celebrating my birthday. I was completely unaware that the house was becoming an inside pool. We realized something was amiss when my sister texted my mother, saying “the house is gone.” When I saw Long Beach after Sandy left, it looked like a war zone. Trees had fallen, poles were toppled, and cars were either ruined or moved by the water. The worst sight to see was the boardwalk. It had buckled during the storm surge. Seeing it broken and in pieces was heartbreaking. My house didn’t fare better than the boardwalk. It was unlivable, damp, and wet. Overall, the town felt grey and very depressing. The weeks after Sandy were hard on everyone. The power was out for a long time, even in the Oceanside, the town I resided in. Even though Long Beach was hit the hardest, it will heal over time. The time for repair started immediately for the boardwalk. The locals started helping the hard hit areas of Long Beach dig out the sand in their homes. The National Guard was also helping out; giving the locals food, water, clothes, etc. All we can do now is clean up and move forward.