The past few days have been a blip on the radar screen. The impact of Hurricane Sandy has affected many in the tri-state area. Unfortunately, a storm of this magnitude doesn’t have any boundaries- taking lives and leaving thousands without power. I hope everyone is doing alright and on the road to recovery. A much more challenging time ahead than that other issue that’s caused grief for hockey fans.

Like many, I feel blessed to be alive. Surviving is the most important thing. As long as you’re still around, you have to move forward. I am saddened over the families who lost houses and must go through a horrible ordeal. Having to evacuate and wonder where you’ll stay for God knows how long is devastating. We live on the South Shore of Staten Island, which was hit hard by Sandy. Not everyone listened to Mayor Bloomberg’s warning. Half of the state’s reported deaths have come on Staten Island. Just thinking about that poor 13-year old girl who died in Tottenville, makes me cringe. Last year, her family left and their house was vandalized. It shouldn’t have come down to that. Two lost brothers’ bodies were discovered today. Most disturbing is they asked for help and they were turned down. How selfish can you get?

For those who lived along the coasts of Tottenville, Midland Beach, New Dorp and South Beach, they never stood a chance. I remember Hurricane Gloria as a kid and that was pretty scary. However, this is by far the worst storm we ever endured. Just watching our tree in the back swing back and forth was enough to shut my blinds. I didn’t have any interest in seeing if it would fall (it didn’t). The sound of strong winds up to 100 MPH was plenty. Thankfully, we live in an elevated location closer to the highway. We lost electricity for approximately 10 hours. Outside our development, plenty of trees were knocked down. If you lived 10 minutes away, lights are out and driving is hazardous. Use extra caution.

If you live in Point Pleasant, Belmar, Sandy Hook, Asbury Park, Atlantic City in New Jersey, you’re experiencing a similar crisis. There was a brave officer who saved many on the Island only to fall victim. He was 28. A true hero in every sense of the word. There are many stories like that which only makes it worse. In Breezy Point, a community was destroyed due to widespread fires that left 110 without homes. One lady was interviewed on TV and shed tears while trying to find some of the remains from her house. Tragic.

Sadly, this is the norm following Sandy’s devastation. Con Edison is working around the clock with hospital facilities top priority. So, if you are still without power, those who are sick or hurt need assistance. Having hospitals up and running is vital. Just speaking to my Dad before, he told me that he got an email about an umpire he knew who passed away along with his son out here. The wake is this weekend. I think I might go.

What can be done to speed up the recovery that includes flooded areas and most subway lines out of service? Donating is always an option to help those in need. It’s the least we can do to improve a dire situation. My donation of 25 dollars was received yesterday by American Red Cross. The easiest money I ever spent. All it takes is a minute of your time.

Dear Derek,

My deepest thanks to all of you who have shown incredible generosity over the past several days. Whether you have given a financial gift, donated blood, or volunteered your time, I’m so proud to have people like you in the Red Cross community, as we help families recover and get back to their lives.

You are making a difference. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, you’ve stepped in to bring critical relief to communities who have lost so much. You are making sure that no one has to face the storm alone and you bring hope where it is needed most.

The need to provide relief is still great. We have a significant amount of work ahead as we help families and individuals recover from the destruction of the storm. If you haven’t had the opportunity to give, please make a gift today.

And, if you want to see what your support has meant to families affected by Hurricane Sandy, take a look at the photos, videos and stories from the storm on our website.

In just a few days, here are some examples of what you’ve helped us provide:

• Tens of thousands of overnight stays in more than 250 emergency shelters;
• Nearly 165,000 meals and snacks served;
• Approximately 3,000 health and mental health consultations;
• 230 activated Emergency Response Vehicles to bring meals, water, information and support with damage assessment;
• Thousands of relief supplies, such as clean-up kits and hygiene kits for families whose homes were damaged or flooded by the storm.