3 months ago

3 months ago today my sister, nephew, boyfriend, and my boys were having a hurricane party. We were all at my house preparing for the hurricane. We had games, movies, snacks, and confidence that our homes would be fine. My biggest worry was a tree falling on my house, as I have 11 in my yard. But water in the house was not even a concern of mine. Yes, the town was under mandatory evacuation, and yes all the news reports were saying this was going to be a bad storm. Yet still until you live through something like that it is hard to imagine.

So about 8:30 at night when we finally lost power and the water rose quickly to my street, then yard, then ultimately under my home it become a bit more real. As a home down the street was engulfed in flames it became more real. As we went to bed with wind howling, unsure of the scene we would find in the am, it became more real.

But the next morning as the sun was shining and the water had receded it seemed that we had escaped the hurricane. Until we took a walk, and quickly had to turn around as we discovered first large amount of debris (like a huge deck in the middle of 8th street,) to boats tossed around like children's play toys, to homes and business's hanging on for dear life.

So then we went home and we waited. Waited for news of what was going on. Waited to hear if loved ones were ok. Waited to know if we could leave our homes or not. Waited for heat, and power, and food. We were cut off from the news and most cell phones had died or had no service. Our cars were submerged in flood water and unusable. News came from neighbors with no certainty of any validity. I kept thinking this is crazy that we can not get any information, with all the technology we have, yet it was useless at a  time like this. (Please add battery operated radio to your emergency kit.)

And now, 3 months later although our technology has been restored our lives have not. I have yet to hear of anyone who suffered damage in Union Beach who is still not living with said damage. My sister and nephew whose home was seriously damaged (and they had no insurance at all) is living with my mom and stepfather. 3 months later and she still can not even find a reliable car to buy to replace the one she lost. We (my boys, dog, and I) are living in my brother's 1 bedroom apartment in Keansburg. Every time I say we may be able to go home in two weeks it is still always two weeks. Jay (my boyfriend) whose apartment was destroyed in Keansburg, is currently sleeping on his niece's floor or couch as his old place is still a mess. Countless other friends are still in hotels, on other's couches, or have had to leave the state to find suitable housing.

And still we are all waiting. Waiting on FEMA. Waiting on insurance. Waiting on Disaster Unemployment. Waiting to resume any semblance of normalcy. Waiting to go home, or waiting to find a new home. And waiting to relax.

We all still need prayers, love, and support. If you can find your way to Union Beach and volunteer for a day or more, or if you can donate to our hurricane relief fund, or someone else's. Anything you can do to help us all get home will be greatly appreciated.

~Becky Rivera