On October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy ripped into the East Coast of the United States, devastating beyond expectation. In Staten Island's Midland Beach and New Dorp neighborhoods, a cluster of fatalities, mostly elderly residents who refused to evacuate, occurred when water rushed into the coastal community in a matter of minutes. Most of the small wood frame bungalows in the working class neighborhoods were destroyed, making it one of the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York City.