I drove from Manhattan to Coney Island and Brighton Beach on Sunday. I grew up in the area, so the bad news coming out of there had an extra twinge of pain for me. I also have a religious hermit of a cousin who lives in the basement apartment of an attached home along Shore Parkway, not too far from Coney Island hospital. He lives with and cares for his main friend and companion, an elderly Filipino American, who worked double shifts as a nurse most of her life to make it here. He’s been cleaning up and tossing out many of their possessions since the surge came up to their knees on Monday night.
Coney Island
We all heard about the looting, the overwhelming flood at the Aquarium, the powerlessness and desperation. On Saturday I re-posted on Facebook a photo of forlorn devastation along the beach, below, taken by BuzzFeed. It was artsy and riveting, but now I regret posting it, because the Coney Island I experienced on Sunday was more hopeful. FEMA is set up there now–a source of supplies and stability. Lots of police and sanitation. I couldn’t believe how many volunteers were working the streets. There were people digging up sand on every block. There seemed like there was more than enough food, water, clothes, and blankets to go around…but who knows? I photographed my favorite piece of resilience: Local handball players were not to be deterred from their favorite meeting ground, the courts at West 5th Street and the boardwalk. They had already swept and shoveled a ton of sand and muddle and puddles to free up two courts–and were back to playing and grousing.
Speaking with lots of locals, I think the big theme right now is that a lot of the buildings still don’t have heat and water–and people said they’ve been told they wouldn’t until Friday, at the earliest. And here comes the cold and the next storm. Some of those buildings have 20 stories and more—so I couldn’t see how the home-bound are really doing. But the scary thing is that it may be worse again before it gets better, if Con Ed doesn’t get the electricity going soon.
Brighton Beach
Of course, many people living in low rises and homes near the water, and many local businesses close to the water, are still struggling. Helping my cousin, I could only say that help helps and relief relieves. People are tiring–no, that’s too much of an understatement in both directions. People are resilient, but for those still struggling to get their homes and lives together, the days of going without essentials is starting to sap their energy and their spirit. The long lines for gas don’t help. Brighton being Brighton, I’m pretty sure I saw an underground gas market going on in the cover of night. The farther you get from the water the more life looked as it always does. It was a cold late afternoon, but kids were playing basketball in the school yard at PS 209 at Avenue Z and Coney Island Avenue. The bagel store across the street was out for two days because of basement flooding but is now doing brisk business 24/7.
On the balance, what I saw on Sunday was sad, but the direction was hopeful. I left hoping that the Rockaways and other devastated areas were getting this kind of support from official bodies and everyday volunteers.
It’s back to work today for many people. I worry about what that means for the relief efforts.
Eric Messinger is Editor of New York Family. He can be reached at [email protected]
