10 Months - Mary Leonard
Mary Leonard grew up in Rockaway and is a part-time resident of the Breezy Point community on the western tip of the penninsula. All her family live in Rockaway. One of her brothers lost his house in the Breezy Point fires that razed almost 150 houses to the ground. Another has only just been able to move back into his home. Her many nieces and nephews were also affected by the storm.
Her love for the ocean and Rockaway is complete. After surfing her local Rockaway break her whole life, 60-year-old Mary hated the ocean after Sandy hit. She could not go to the beach after witnessing the devastation that it had caused. Now, after 10 months, she has just started surfing again.
