Hurricane Sandy: John & Lee Ann's Story

Last year on October 29th, Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City and barreled through New Jersey.

Nine months later, Neptune residents John and Lee Ann are still suffering.

The morning after Hurricane Sandy hit, John and Lee Ann found a marina boat smashed into their garage. Their house had extensive damage. 

“We’ve faced a few things in our lives but never anything this devastating,” John said.

Even though John and Lee Ann had flood insurance, they had to go through an appeal just to get a settlement of $118,000 on a $250,000 policy. That sum isn’t even half.

The settlement won’t cover the cost of fixing and elevating their home. The couple received a $10,000 grant, but a promissory note stipulated that the funds could not be used for construction.

John and Lee Ann are now expected to pay a mortgage on a house that’s unlivable.

John and Lee Ann’s story is harrowing reminder of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. The unfortunate reality is that thousands of families along the Jersey Shore are in situations similar to John and Lee Ann. Moving forward remains a daily struggle.

All the while, Governor Christie exemplified exactly where his priorities stand. His administration spent an extra $2 million in federal recovery funds to secure a starring role for the Governor in shore tourism ads. That’s unacceptable, especially as families along the shore work daily to rebuild and recover.

John and Lee Ann – and all the families affected by Hurricane Sandy – deserve a Governor who will put their needs first.

Check out the video here.