Chasing Sandy, Part 8

11/5/12 Staten Island, NY

All descriptions and photos by F LoBuono

The NYPD alerted us of this particularly devastated neighborhood in Staten Island. It was a community of about a dozen homes at the very tip of the Island. The NYPD is never wrong about such things! They got smashed.

These were not fragile houses, either. They were of solid cinderblock. Didn't matter! The only thing left of the homes, if anything at all, was the stairway!

A young family whose home was literally blown away searches for something, anything left from their home.

My axe.

"It's a twista'"! I couldn't help but think of the Wizard of Oz when I saw this house.

This man was just so damned happy to have recovered this one, small piece of his home. He had made it as a goofy gift  for his wife and it had become part of their family mythology. He actually laughed when he showed me were his steps wound up. See the photo below. Laughed. Remarkable. 

The CBS News crew with Seth Doane.

A final act of defiance!

Chasing Sandy, Part 7

11/2/12,  Staten Island, NY

All description and photos by F LoBuono

Neighbor helping neighbor. It was all over Staten Island.

The local M.C. donate lots of things from their club including food, barbeques, and generators.

Helping hands.

Just a few of the hundreds of young people who came to volunteer and help - and they sure did!

There was heartache but they was joy, too.

Bulldozers swept everything away - everything but memories.

A good type of exhaustion.

The CBS Evening News soundman doing his best to stay warm on a raw day in SI.

You can only image the force of the wind that would twist a steel door like this!

Used to be the neighborhood deli.

When you help, you feel good.

Staying warm in SI.

You've done well, son. It's good to smile.

Making it through the night.