Death and Destruction in New York City

As my travels continue and take me to the real Holland where I’ll share about my time with new fabulous friends and their beautiful country…there are a couple of updates…

Regardless of where you are in the world, you’ve heard about the horrific destruction and devastation Hurricane Sandy has brought to the Northeast of the United States.

This morning I ventured out to assess the damage and found my neighborhood to have fared extremely well in comparison to Lower Manhattan, the remaining boroughs of New York City, New Jersey and other Eastern States.  The parks in the Upper West Side of Manhattan where I live were the hardest hit due to high winds.

Central Park and Riverside Park (my front and backyard) will require major cleanup and replanting to bring it back to the beauty that all New York residents enjoy and love, as well as tourists from all over the world. But, that’s small in comparison to what others have encountered and will continue to experience as weeks and months go by.  My heart goes out to all those who have been impacted by the wind and water damage.

But this week my heart is heavy for a very different reason.  We can rebuild from the hurricane.  We can replant trees, reopen businesses, clean up the mess over a period of time, but nothing will bring back the two little children brutally murdered (allegedly) by their nanny a few days ago.

This unimaginable horror occurred on the same street where I live and passing the growing memorial at the entry of their apartment building is beyond heart wrenching. People continue to pay their respects with flowers, candles, cards, stuffed animals, Halloween candy, and little pumpkins.  A loss I can’t even shake, so imagine what these parents are experiencing. The death of someone close is always a devastating experience, but don’t you know the deaths of these two children have turned that family’s world completely upside down while trying to have some normalcy (if there is such a thing) for their one remaining child.

As I’ve walked my neighborhood these past couple of days, I’ve sensed families holding their children’s hand just a little tighter as they’ve been reminded that anything is possible.

Leaving Central Park on Sunday I noticed the parents photographing their two little ones in the autumn leaves.  Both children had an uncanny resemblance to the two children murdered.  Smiling, laughing and probably knowing the costumes their children will wear for Halloween, where the family will gather for Thanksgiving and perhaps ideas for gifts for the upcoming holidays.  But the family with the horrific loss?  Just putting one foot in front of the other each day will be an undertaking.  My heart aches for them.