Superstorm Sandy made landfall seven years ago today, causing massive destruction in New Jersey and changing the lives of many forever.

According to state leaders, roughly 700 of the 7,400 people participating in the main post-Sandy rebuilding project still have not completed the process.

Some of those, however, have been able to return to their homes as they wait to "close out" the complicated process.

Lavallette was one of the towns that, although hit hard by the storm, seemed to recover much more quickly than many others.

This includes many small businesses such as Tradewinds Motor Lodge, a family-run establishment that was seriously damaged but almost immediately was rebuilding.

By the following Memorial Day, Tradewinds was open for the summer and looking to help the Jersey Shore get back in the business of summer tourism.

"We had about 18 inches of water down below and the whole roof blew off," says Kristine Brackett. "The mayor, Wally LaCicero, did the best he could to get us back. My brother is a builder and he got us back, he actually got the first load of building materials on the island to get our roof back and we were good to go in the spring.”

 

At the time, many stayed away from the shore that spring thinking nothing would be ready for the summer, so Kristine says business wasn't great.

Some have not been as fortunate, and are still waiting to get back into their homes.