›› IN THE DAYS AFTER THE STORM,
as the stories from Staten Island began to emerge, it became clear that
Hurricane Sandy had dealt the “forgotten borough” an exceptionally violent blow. The waves had covered bungalows, swept houses off their foundations, and caused at least 23 deaths, more than half the city’s total.
The blue-collar New Yorkers who called this place home were left reaching
for exotic metaphors. As one local hospital worker put it, “It’s like Beirut
over here, bro.” Staten Islanders have long felt slighted by city and state
officials. Beneath that resentment lies a fierce sense of self-reliance, taking the relief effort into their own hands. “I have never been so proud in
my life to be from Staten Island,” read one Facebook posting.
A car is
misplaced in
the storm’s
aftermath.