So many of the scenes were too familiar, 14 months after my neighborhood in Westover, near Johnson City, New York, flooded - except we didn't have the strong winds, or the sea water, or 15 foot waves bearing down on us, like the waterfront neighborhoods of NYC.
It took me a month to search online for the fate of Red Hook. I already knew it in my heart.
I don't want to show you pictures of the destruction, although the NY Times wrote a heartbreaking article about the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook that won my heart during two visits this year. And now it's been undone by the same sea that gave it identity. Can the community be rebuilt?
The residents now face a hard road back. Many residents of my neighborhood of Westover walked this road over a year ago. Some still do.
New York City is not just midtown Manhattan. Its people will surprise and amaze you. I have confidence that Red Hook will return.
The Fairway, in another historic warehouse building, was flooded with over 7 feet of water, and they lost everything.
One more view of Fairway. My friend with cancer loved this store and loved the key lime pies of Steve's. Now what, for her?
In spirit, I walk down Van Brunt Street. In spirit, I visit the Pier 44 gardens (now that I finally know their name) once again, as the winds of late fall blow against me.
In my memories I return to a day in late September when I walked those streets with my friend.
I will do so again, one day.
I, too, know the NY Metro area well. (I lived on the Island for a long time; 'colleged' in Brooklyn.) I recalled what my area looked like after a major storm some 50 years ago... and noticed the same results in Far Rockaway, Brooklyn, Hoboken...
ReplyDeleteBut, my area rebuilt- and so can these. However, as I will have published in a blog coming soon- we need to consider some new geographical realities before we rebuild these communities...