A New Jersey man swept away by the raging waters of Hurricane Sandy last week managed to break into a neighbor’s house and left a farewell note -- ‘tell my dad I love him and I tried getting out.”
But the man, only identified as Mike from Toms River, N.J., survived the lethal surge that swept away his house and claimed dozens of lives. He shared his story during a radio appearance on WOBM radio on Thursday.
The note he left in the house of Christine Treglia, who had evacuated before Sandy hit, was heartbreaking. Treglia later discovered the note and shared it.
“WHO EVER READS THIS I’M DIEING – I’m 28 yrs old my name is Mike. I had to break in to your house. I took blankets off the couch. I have hypothermia. I didn’t take anything. A wave thru me out of my house down the block. I don’t think I’m going to make it,” Mike wrote in the note, in which he details the 10-foot-tall surge that he was convinced would kill him.
“There’s no rescue,” he continued. “ Tell my dad I love him and I tried getting out. His number is ###-###-#### his name is Tony. I hope u can read this I’m in the dark. I took a black jacket too. Goodbye. God all mighty help me.”
Mike survived by wrapping himself in towels he found in the house, and was eventually saved by a Good Samaritan who came by in a boat.
“To be honest with you, I’m afraid of the dark now. I was in the dark for so long with at least 15 to 20 foot waves that with the bay crashing over me. I couldn’t even breathe. I told my dad when I got home, you follow me everywhere you go.”
But the man, only identified as Mike from Toms River, N.J., survived the lethal surge that swept away his house and claimed dozens of lives. He shared his story during a radio appearance on WOBM radio on Thursday.
The note he left in the house of Christine Treglia, who had evacuated before Sandy hit, was heartbreaking. Treglia later discovered the note and shared it.
“WHO EVER READS THIS I’M DIEING – I’m 28 yrs old my name is Mike. I had to break in to your house. I took blankets off the couch. I have hypothermia. I didn’t take anything. A wave thru me out of my house down the block. I don’t think I’m going to make it,” Mike wrote in the note, in which he details the 10-foot-tall surge that he was convinced would kill him.
“There’s no rescue,” he continued. “ Tell my dad I love him and I tried getting out. His number is ###-###-#### his name is Tony. I hope u can read this I’m in the dark. I took a black jacket too. Goodbye. God all mighty help me.”
Mike survived by wrapping himself in towels he found in the house, and was eventually saved by a Good Samaritan who came by in a boat.
“To be honest with you, I’m afraid of the dark now. I was in the dark for so long with at least 15 to 20 foot waves that with the bay crashing over me. I couldn’t even breathe. I told my dad when I got home, you follow me everywhere you go.”
