William Easteadt

"When Hurricane Sandy hit, I had been in my house in Massapequa, Long Island for only two years with my wife and daughter..."

By #UnionProud Stories

March 3^rd, 2016

BY William Easteadt

When Hurricane Sandy hit, I had been in my house in Massapequa, Long Island for only two years with my wife and daughter, then a year-and-a-half old. We fled before the storm hit, and when I was allowed back I was hopeful that we didn’t have too much damage. But then I saw my house. The water line came up to the bottom of the windows. My house had been flooded with three feet of water. Everything was destroyed.

Hurricane Sandy was devastating to us. It was like a bad dream. The first floor of the house had to be gutted. We had to live in a hotel for three months. It wasn’t just the storm, but what the banks and insurance companies put us through. Instead of helping us, they made it difficult to deal with because of red tape. We’re still going through the pain of Sandy. We lost so much money.

The UFT reached out to us and provided financial assistance that covered our daily expenses, such as food and clothing. It helped us replace a small part of what we lost. Just the fact that we were not forgotten was greatly appreciated. The UFT helped us with what we needed at the time, just like friends and family.

My wife, Diana, teaches at Wave Prep in Far Rockaway, and we’re both very proud UFT members. I hold my head up high as a member of the UFT. I feel more confident with the union behind me.

William Easteadt is a physical education teacher and chapter leader at PS 253 in Queens.

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Photo by Erica Berger

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Shalca Nelson

William Easteadt

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