Homes Lost, Lives Changed: Berkeley's Sandy Memories, 10 Years Later

BERKELEY, NJ — After ten years, it's hard to imagine life before Superstorm Sandy at the Jersey Shore. To this day, people are still recovering. Some still have not returned to their homes. Parts of Berkeley are still damaged from the storm.

Sandy hit on Oct. 29, 2012. Streets were impassible for days, even inland. Trees blocked streets. Schools closed. The Good Luck Point section of town was essentially ground zero. Water rose several feet inside houses. Homes lost walls or were entirely destroyed.

Across the state, 346,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. Thirty-eight people lost their lives. It was the costliest natural disaster in NJ history - there was $30 billion in economic damage.

Heavy rains, 80 mph winds and a record-breaking storm surge joined with a high tide and full moon to create the disaster that was Superstorm Sandy.

Everyone has memories of businesses being closed, power being out. Those lucky enough to still be in their homes remember having no heat. Central Regional School District Superintendent Tom Parlapanides recalled his experience to Patch.

"My memories of Superstorm Sandy was that my house was ruined and my father was in rehab and I was just informed that Central Regional High School would become a shelter for the area," Parlapanides said.

He worked at the shelter for four days while students were out of school. Parlapanides said one of his best memories came from booking a hotel room on Route 70 and taking a hot shower after not sleeping or showering during that time. His Seaside Park home had been damaged in the storm.

"It was the best shower ever and you don't appreciate the little things like warm water and being clean," he told Patch.

The entirety of Hugh J. Boyd Elementary School in Seaside Heights moved into Central's history wing, Parlapanides said.

The damage in Bayville was great. "It was surreal," one resident previously recalled to Patch.

Waterfront areas were particularly hurt. Glen Cove, Holly Park (which hasn't had its park since), Pelican Island, South Seaside Park, Good Luck Point and more were some of the most damaged areas.

"The level of destruction on the bayside of Berkeley Township has been enormous," Mayor Carmen Amato said in a video shared with Patch documenting the damage.

The video showcased homes entirely destroyed, sitting in the middle of roadways, with huge chunks missing.

"People have had to put their lives out on the curb," Amato said.

In the ten years since, Berkeley has set improvements in action. Homes were rebuilt, parks and beaches reopened. Emergency and resiliency measures were looked at and improved.

But the mark that Sandy left on the township is permanent.