Read more on Hurricane Sandy here
Shocked residents of Breezy Point in Queens went back to their shattered homes yesterday and vowed to rebuild their dreams.
The Irish enclave in Queens was devastated by Hurricane Sandy and over 100 homes were burnt to the ground in a flash fire on Monday night.
The U.S. Census rated Breezy Point the most Irish neighborhood in America with over 60 per cent of Irish heritage. The area is home to hundreds of cops and firefighters and the community lost 32 men on 9/11.
Tim O’Reagan, who has lived in Breezy Point for decades, evacuated to stay with his sister in Bay Ridge. His house survived.
“Unfortunately, we learned that at least 4 of our friends--Congressman Bob Turner included--lost their home in the conflagration.”
O’Reagan was headed back to Breezy Point to inspect the damage yesterday.
Dave and Regina Hegarty told the Daily News that they had kept a home on Breezy Point since 1978. Dave is a retired schoolteacher and his wife is a retired guidance counselor.
Their cottage was reduced to rubble by the storm and fire but they too vowed to rebuild.
They met in Breezy Point as teenagers. They fell in love and eventually got married.
Read more on Hurricane Sandy here
“It’s our roots,” Dave Hegarty said. “We raised our five sons here. They were lifeguards in the summer.”
“We’re going to rebuild even if we have to do it by hand,” Regina Hegarty said.
The devastation shocked residents.
"In all honesty, it looks like a war zone," Breezy Point resident Mike Long told a local news channel.
"It looks like during the night, that fighter planes or bombers came through and just bombed the entire area. It just looks terrible."
Linda Strong, 59, has lived full time in Breezy Point for 37 years, and had just renovated her home which was destroyed.
“I’m trying to be strong,” she told The News. “We wanted to build a bigger, nicer home.”
“We will rebuild again because we love the community,” Strong added.
Her son agreed. “We had it bad but we didn’t lose anybody,” said John Strong, 36, “We’re trying to take it one step at a time.”
Firefighter Kiernan Carly, 22, told the News his home was flooded but didn’t burn.
“It was a giant blaze. It looked like a war zone,” Carly said. “We were walking through 3 to 4 feet of water to get to the fire and try to find fire hydrants that had pressure in them.
“It’s a mess now. But it will look beautiful in a couple of months,” he said.
Hurricane Sandy Aftermath Video: Inside the Chaos of Breezy Point, N.Y.
13 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.EamonnDublin | Nov 04, 2012, 07:46 AM EST
"PaddyRanger" - Thanks for your post to "EphraimKibbey" - no need for me to add anything. Just one little point to "Ephraim" - if Obama gets in again, your "investments" will be raided big time to pay the welfare of those who either cannot or will not work. Obama calls this "sharing it around". Good Luck! Éamonn, Dublin.
EphraimKibbey | Nov 03, 2012, 07:00 PM EDT
paddyRanger - What happened to all the can goods that Romney supporters pretended to give him in Dayton, Ohio? Did he sell them back to Walmart after the photo-op? Just wondered! Glad you got my point about Bloomberg and Cuomo. Blame the guys who actually fouled up DESPITE their politics; don't blame the guy who did his best to help out just BECAUSE OF his politics. Its called living in reality as opposed to living in GOP/Fox topsy-turvy land. As to your impression that I am employed by the DNC, my money all flows TO them not FROM them as I now live off my investments. I pray that my investments in the DNC will pave the way FORWARD to a prosperous America as far from the evil empire of Ryan/Romney//Cheney/Bush as we can move it! GOD SPEED AMERICA!
paddyRanger | Nov 03, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT
Olovely, plenty of people on Staten Island would love a can of soup right now.....Red Cross cant get it's act together and get it there is not Romney's fault.
paddyRanger | Nov 03, 2012, 09:47 AM EDT
Ephraimkibbey...do you get paid by the DNC for this blatent obama propaganda crap you post? talk about drivel. BloomBERG is a democrat and always has been he changed to republican then to independant purely for selfish reasons, he is and always will be democrat, so why would we ask him anything, from a person who endorses Obama?? answer that. The NY state govenor another MIA democrat should have had FEMA assests in place not the mayor of NYC
dublinduke | Nov 02, 2012, 04:20 PM EDT
Obama is messianic, arrogant, and prideful. He actually believes he just has to show up and all will be ok. How callow.
EphraimKibbey | Nov 02, 2012, 03:09 PM EDT
EamonnDublin - Ask Bloomburg why he turned down Obama's offer to PRE-position FEMA assets around the city so that they would be ready for distribution immediately after the storm? Obama is getting praise because he was on top of this storm long before it hit. He is getting praise for cutting through the red tape that conservatives always complain about when disparaging big government. This was a BIG storm and it will take BIG government to clean it up. He just cut more red tape to get gasoline tankers into NYC harbor quicker. Even on the campaign trail he is watching over the people of America. He is getting praise because he deserves it for being a GREAT leader.
EamonnDublin | Nov 02, 2012, 05:24 AM EDT
"OLovely" - If Romney turned up at Breezy Point, you would have said he is milking it. He is not the president (yet). I think it's simply amazing the way that a guy (Obama) can ruin the country in 4 years and then, just because he hugs a few brokenhearted women (may they soon be comforted), 78% of a survey say he handled it excellently. Is there something in the water there these days? The guy only shook a few hands!! Now, what about Benghazi? Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
olovely | Nov 01, 2012, 04:32 PM EDT
Obama turned up in person and vowed to help them rebuild; Romney stayed away and suggested people just send them soup cans (but in fact the Red Cross actually don't want your soup cans). Quite a contrast in styles.
Getlin2 | Nov 01, 2012, 12:32 PM EDT
The only claim that I have to being Irish is the years that I spent in the NYPD. As rthe old saying goes "You can't spend time in the NYPD without becoming a little bit Irish". I am retired in Florida now but my heart and prahyers are with the people of Breezy Point. I was a member of the Silver Gull Beach Club for 25 years and that looks destroyed. Had many a good meal and drink and Kennedy's and hope they faired well. Again my prayers are with you all.
cillowen | Nov 01, 2012, 12:30 PM EDT
can't let joe smith jr. romney's antis destroy our national protection. States by themselves would have to put in place state border walls to keep out americans from encroaching on one another. Lincoln's war and dying of same would have been for naught Sandy's coming surely made people realize we are all in the long slog for ever - who can lead ? there is but one who can get us back in the game - the Hawaiin, who says it like it is consistantly.
CitizenWhy | Nov 01, 2012, 11:35 AM EDT
I admire their tenacity and the wonderful community they had created, but I fear there will be storms like Sandy in the near future. The oceans and atmosphere have changed, making such storms more likely. New York itself is one of the few places that has been steadily working for years to deal with rising waters due to the Arctic melted ice. Let's hope this storm will accelerate that preparation and figure out ways to spare good neighborhoods like Breezy Point.
Murph46 | Nov 01, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
You are welcome into our humble house in Ohio while rebuilding takes place!
EamonnDublin | Nov 01, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
Our thoughts and our prayers are with you all in Breezy Point. You will come out of this an even stronger community than you already are, and Please God the day will arrive much sooner than you think when you will look back at this and say "We overcame Sandy, let us go on to even greater things". Look after each other. Much Love from Ireland. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.