From Darkness to Light: The Superstorm Sandy
October typically marks the height of hurricane season along the east coast of the United States. Although New Jersey rarely experiences severe storms due to their dissipation over Florida, exceptions do occur. In late October 2012, I encountered my first major hurricane, a category 2 storm, which proved far worse than anticipated. It devastated a significant portion of the shoreline near my home, requiring years for recovery.
When the warnings about the impending storm were issued, I didn’t take them seriously. Having never encountered a superstorm before, my only brush with a major hurricane was Irene in 2011, which caused minimal damage, mainly a few fallen trees. I even joked with my friends about Irene’s underwhelming impact, so the warnings about hurricane Sandy didn’t concern me much.
As the storm approached, the gas stations became a frenzy of activity, with lines of cars stretching out into the streets as people scrambled to fill their tanks and stockpile extra fuel. That evening, I joined the frenzy, topping up my tank before heading home to wait for the hurricane Throughout the night, I kept friends and family updated with live Facebook posts, closely monitoring the dropping atmospheric pressure using my trusty Garmin GPS watch.
As the night progressed without incident, I started to relax, almost convinced that Sandy might be another overhyped storm like Irene the year before. But when morning dawned, the sky was overcast, and the wind had picked up noticeably. Within hours, the rain began to pour down in torrents, accompanied by fierce gusts that rattled windows and even dislodged the attic entrance lid inside my apartment. Sandy was proving to be far more than I had anticipated.
As darkness settled in, the sudden power outage felt like a minor inconvenience at first. In my seven years in the US, I’d never faced a blackout lasting more than a couple of minutes, so I assumed this one would be brief too. Little did I know, a waiting game had just begun. By nightfall, it became clear that Hurricane Sandy was no ordinary storm. The darkness descended, and only candles and lamps provided flickering light, reminding me of our vulnerability despite all our modern technology.
With an electric stove in my apartment, cooking became an impossible task without electricity. Stocking the fridge proved futile since it relied on power as well. In that moment, my slender frame turned out to be a blessing in disguise—my modest appetite meant I required very little to sustain myself. That night, I managed to have dinner using leftovers from my office cafeteria, but the following day, my meals consisted of no more than a handful of peanuts. It was during these challenging times that my collection of survival gadgets truly proved their worth in navigating the aftermath of the hurricane.
During those dark and chilly days, my collection of hand-cranked lamps and torches became indispensable, casting light into my apartment through the long nights. Bundled in gloves and wool socks stuffed with warming pouches, I found comfort against the biting cold. Surprisingly, the full gas tank I had filled with reluctance now proved invaluable. With no power for days, I ran the engine just to charge my phone, hoping for a signal to reach out to my worried family and assure them of my safety. Cut off from the outside world, my entire social circle shrank to include my immediate neighbors—Betty, her grandson, Molly and her niece. With phones useless, we relied on each other for company and conversation.
It was a stark reminder of how a natural disaster can strip away modern conveniences, forcing us back to a simpler, more communal way of life.
These circumstances plunged me into deep introspection. In the comfort of everyday life, one rarely questions or contemplates life’s purpose, but stripped of distractions, I found myself pondering the meaning of it all. Sandy taught me a profound lesson in resilience and gratitude. Warm food, once a simple pleasure, became a distant luxury we all craved. I never realized until then how satisfying warm food can be, not just for the belly but for the soul.
The experience revealed the fragility of our comforts and the importance of appreciating what we have. Sandy’s impact extended far beyond physical destruction—it sparked personal growth and a renewed perspective on life’s unpredictability and resilience.
A few days into Sandy, Betty confided in me her intense craving for chicken tenders, consumed by thoughts of them all day. I felt just as sorry for her as I did for myself, but there was nothing I could do. Local stores were closed, and the open ones had run out of supplies, leaving their shelves empty.
On the tenth day following the storm’s aftermath, I received the news: power had finally been restored in our office. It marked one of the happiest days of my life. The relief was palpable. It had been too long since I had enjoyed a warm shower. Wrapped in layers of clothes, gloves, and a hat, my skin had grown itchy from the dryness. Seizing the opportunity, I hurried to the office. The first thing I did was rush into the bathroom. The sensation of warm water cascading over me was sheer bliss—it was one of the best showers I had ever experienced. Even now, I can recall that moment vividly. Finally feeling clean after days of hardship brought an immense sense of relief and renewal.
When I came out of the bathroom, I discovered that the cafeteria had reopened—a welcomed surprise! A warm shower followed by a hot meal—nothing could beat that feeling. I hurried to the counter and placed an order for a warm bowl of soup as a starter.
As I scanned the menu, my eyes settled at an item that reminded me of Betty—”Chicken Tenders”! The very dish Betty had been craving for days. I promptly ordered a plate to go. I anticipated Betty would leap out of her chair with joy, finally getting to savor warm chicken tenders after what felt like an eternity. Yet, to my surprise, when I presented her with the plate, she took a bite of the first piece, grimaced, and handed it over to her grandson, who happily devoured it! What I witnessed was sheer arrogance, a trivializing of the difficult situation we were in!
“You’re not out of the woods yet, and you’re fussing over food, Betty,” I thought to myself.
Two days later, power was restored in our apartments. I remember sitting with our neighbors, cheering loudly as the lights flickered back on after ten cold and dark days. The very next thing I did was turn on all the heaters and brew myself a comforting cup of warm tea. It still took a few more days for life to fully return to normal. Later, we learned that New York residents had faced an even harsher reality. Some people’s homes and belongings were completely ruined by the flood, and some endured power outage for nearly a month. Hearing this, our initial disappointment of being without power for only ten days shifted to profound gratitude.
As life settled back into its routine post-Superstorm, the moment to depart to India drew near. I sold all my possessions, terminated my apartment lease, and condensed my entire existence into two suitcases, alongside my meticulously assembled doomsday gear.
As I stepped onto the plane bound for India, whether apocalypse awaited or not, I wasn’t even sure if I will ever return. Little did I know, life had one more twist in store waiting for me.
