Brian and Jennifer Garofalo live with their children in Toms River, New Jersey. Hurricane Sandy not only caused tremendous damage to their home, but it also destroyed their business, The Beach Bar, on the Seaside Heights Boardwalk. For the past two years, the Garofalos have struggled to put their lives back together. They abandoned their business in Seaside permanently after the Funtown Pier fire, and they are still in the process of rebuilding and lifting their home. In their narrative, the couple stresses the importance of family, perseverance, and maintaining hope. Continue Reading
Author Archives: Matthew Bender
Stand up, shake the dust off, get back to work
Michael Jurusz is a Jersey native and owner and head chef of the Atlantic Bar and Grill in Seaside Park. Chef Mike, as he is called, has in a number of places but says there’s nothing better than the “Jersey Attitude.” Though Hurricane Sandy spared his restaurant, Mike witnessed a tremendous amount of destruction in Seaside and nearby communities. In his narrative, he speaks to the losses in his community, as well as his efforts to help others in the recovery process. Continue Reading
We are pretty tough people
Jim Gaul is a police officer at Monmouth University who also volunteers as a firefighter in his hometown of Ramtown, New Jersey. Monmouth University was used as a relief shelter for citizens of Monmouth County during and after the storm. Jim worked check-in at the shelter and provided security to keep the growing number of people safe and content. After the shelter closed, Jim aided the Ramtown Fire Company in responding to calls. In this narrative, Jim talks about his experience in the storm, the people he encountered in the shelter, and the fire calls he answered back in his hometown. Continue Reading
Searching for a sense of normalcy
MaryAnn Nagy lives in Eatontown, New Jersey, and is the Vice President of Student Affairs at Monmouth University. The University became a temporary relief shelter for Monmouth County residents during the storm. MaryAnn organized food preparation for the shelter, and she also provided support to the remaining students on campus who were unable to evacuate. In her narrative, she discusses the preparation of the shelter, the challenges she faced in keeping the shelter stocked, and the plans she put into place to keep students safe during the storm. Continue Reading
We were geared up to fight the storm
Dave Estelle is a retired police officer who has lived in Sea Bright, New Jersey, all his life. He is currently the captain of the First Aid Squad, and has helped to organize responses to several hurricanes including Sandy. During Sandy, he was forced evacuate all first responders temporarily due to the storm’s intensity. In the aftermath, he worked for about two months straight helping the people of Sea Bright to recover. In this narrative, Dave Estelle talks about his personal reaction to the storm, the emergency calls he received as a first responder, and the recovery of the town of Sea Bright. Continue Reading
You can't beat Mother Nature
Brittany Joline was a senior in high school when Hurricane Sandy hit her hometown of Manasquan, New Jersey. Due to her parents’ recent divorce, she and her father had only been living in their house for four weeks when the storm came. They left after hearing about the mandatory evacuation and when they returned, they found that their home completely destroyed. In this narrative, Brittany talks about the damage the storm caused in her community as well as the recovery process of Manasquan. Continue Reading
Dialing for dollars
Carolyn Olsen is a licensed social worker and currently works in hospice. Prior to Hurricane Sandy, she and her husband were living in Ocean Beach III in Toms River Township. The storm flooded their home with more than three feet of water, causing severe damage and destroying much of their personal possessions. About two years after the storm, she experienced loss again when her husband passed away. She now resides in Allentown, New Jersey, where she makes plans to rebuild her house on the shore. Continue Reading
We may be a casualty of Hurricane Sandy
Jane Marion was born in 1957 and has spent most of her life living along the Jersey Shore. For nearly thirty years, she has been working as an Emergency Medical Technician with the Dover Brick Beach First Aid Squad. Just before Hurricane Sandy, she evacuated her home in Monterey Beach, Lavallette. As a first responder, she was one of the first to witness the devastation of the storm. In her narrative, she speaks to the work of first responders and the challenges involved with organizing evacuation plans. Continue Reading
A little Boston whaler
Joan and Bob Current live in Chadwick Beach, New Jersey. The couple has owned their home in Chadwick for 47 years, and 20 years ago they chose to move there permanently because of the people, the proximity to the beach, and the quietness in the wintertime. Being just feet from the lagoon, their house sustained significant damage during Hurricane Sandy. In this narrative, they describe staying in their home during the storm, as well as the challenges they faced in the days immediately after the storm. Continue Reading
A precarious, dangerous place to build and protect
Sarah Bowen works as an Urban Planner and Project Manager at Michael Baker International, a firm that provides engineering services for public and private sector clients worldwide. For the past several years, she has worked on projects aimed at helping Jersey Shore communities to mitigate the effects of floods and other disasters, including the Ocean County Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Long-Term Recovery Plan for Ocean County. In her narrative, Sarah discusses how Hurricane Sandy has affected shore communities, and how she is working to ensure that such destruction is avoided in the future. Continue Reading