On October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy ripped through the New Jersey Coastline. Thousands of houses and businesses were leveled and so many hearts were broken.

  In efforts to gain back some sense of formality, businesses have reopened and houses are being rebuilt. Nothing, unfortunately, is exactly the same as before. There are still people without cars, homes, and warm clothes. People go on with their normal lives every day not realizing that others are still struggling.

  Last year on Halloween, two days after Sandy, the streets were eerily empty and residents put signs on their lawns with sayings like “No Candy for Sandy”. This year, trick or treaters of all ages could be seen roaming the streets of neighborhoods for hours.

  Gigi Dorr, proud owner of Jakeabob’s Bay in Union Beach, watched helplessly as her beloved restaurant was taken by the storm. She has a new restaurant open now called Jakeabob’s Off the Bay, which  is located a few blocks inland from the old Jakeabob’s.

  When asked how her life changed from before the storm to now she replied with, “Where do I even start? As much as I miss Jakeabob’s, I try my best to focus on the positives and think that is was God hitting the reset button for Union Beach. It’s so easy to focus on the negatives of the situation, but I think I’ve come out of this as a more positive person.”

  Gigi and the crew at Jakeabob’s salvaged doors from destroyed houses and used them as walls and tables in the new restaurant. The walls are covered with pictures of Union Beach from before, during, and after the storm as a constant reminder of the strength and perseverance of the people Sandy affected.

  “Humanity is alive. Period. End of story. It’s here.” Gigi says this is the one lesson she learned from her whole journey.

  People are lending a hand and reaching out to their neighbors that are suffering and Sandy was a tragedy, but it was a reminder to everyone that humanity is still very much alive. Homes are still gone and hearts are still broken, but little by little the Jersey Shore is recovering from the devastation that Sandy left behind.