A storm that changed L.I.

Hurricane Sandy created a mess in front of this Warren Street home.

David Weingrad/Herald

Many residents endured up to two weeks in the dark because of downed trees that fell on power lines, like this one on Jeffrey Avenue.

David Weingrad/Herald

Benny Disaparra almost had to shut down his business, Nina's Italian Deli, after Hurricane Sandy. Lacking power for two days, the lifelong East Meadow resident said he lost all of his merchandise. But he, like so many other businessowners, came back even stronger. Earlier this summer, the community celebrated his relocation to a bigger space on Newbridge Road.

Courtesy the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce

Cars had to swerve around this fallen tree on Merrick Avenue a day after the storm, outside Temple Emanu-El.

David Weingrad/Herald

Island Harvest President and CEO Randi Shubin Dresner, far left, staff and volunteers aided storm victims in Long Island's hardest hit locations.

Courtesy Island Harvest

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Benny Diasparra remembers, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, standing on the sidewalk outside his East Meadow shop, trying to flag down Long Island Power Authority trucks.

His store, Nina’s Italian Deli, located in a small strip mall on Newbridge Road, was without power. As a small business, Diasparra knew that an extended outage could cost him his livelihood.

And that’s nearly what happened. Diasparra, like many other business owners in the community, suffered two weeks without electricity.

The results were devastating. “I lost every piece of merchandise in the store,” Diasparra said. He had to throw out nearly everything — thousands of dollars worth of soda, cheese, cold cuts, pasta and soups. The list went on.

Diasparra, then 26, a lifelong East Meadow resident, started anew. He restocked his food and supplies, made deals with his vendors, and for months, didn’t take a paycheck. Still, he said, business was slow, since people were not spending money the way they were accustomed to. “People were really in a state of fear after [the hurricane],” Diasparra said. “They were worried, ‘What could happen next?’”

But in the months that followed, the storeowner said he began to notice something; a rebirth, not only his store, but in the entire East Meadow community. “I feel like what Sandy did was it really strengthened the fabric of the neighborhood,” Diasparra said. “People actually felt for their neighbors and felt for their local businesses. I think that’s what really brought back the store and made us stronger."

To complete the success story, earlier this summer, Diasparra relocated Nina’s Italian Deli to a bigger space across the street, on the east side of Newbridge Road. The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce celebrated the move with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

In a way, Diasparra’s journey the last two years echoed that of many community members — one of resilience, and perseverance.

Though the region did not sustain major flooding, toppled trees wreaked havoc on electrical lines, causing power outages throughout. And LIPA’s frustratingly slow response to central Nassau — including East Meadow and Salisbury — forced home and business owners to endure up to two weeks in the dark.