Surviving Hurricane Sandy
飓风桑迪下的幸存者
Natalie Doan, 14, has always felt lucky to live in Rockaway, New York. Living just a few blocks from the beach, Natalie can see the ocean and hear the wave from her house. “It’s the ocean that makes Rockaway so special, ” she says.
娜塔莉·多恩，14岁，一直幸运地居住在纽约州的罗克威。娜塔莉的住处离海滩只有几个街区，从家里可以看见大海，听见海浪的声音。“海洋让罗克威如此特别”，她说。
On October 29, 2012, that ocean turned fierce. That night, Hurricane Sandy attacked the East Coast, and Rockaway was hit especially hard. Fortunately, Natalie’s family escaped to Brooklyn shortly before the city’s bridge closed.
2012年10月29日，海水变得异常凶猛。那天晚上，飓风桑迪袭击了东海岸，而罗克威受到的打击尤其严重。幸运的是，娜塔莉的家人在布鲁克林大桥关闭前不久逃到了布鲁克林。
When they returned to Rockaway the next day, they found their neighborhood in ruins. Many of Natalie’s friends had lost their homes and were living far away. All around her, people were suffering, especially the elderly. Natalie’s school was so damaged that she had to temporarily attend a school in Brooklyn.
第二天，他们返回罗克威时发现所在的社区已成为一片废墟。娜塔莉的许多朋友失去了家园，住在很远的地方。周围的人都在承受痛苦，尤其是老年人。娜塔莉的学校受损严重，她不得不暂时借读于布鲁克林的一所学校。
In the following few days, the men and women helping Rockaway recover inspired Natalie. Volunteers came with carloads of donated clothing and toys. Neighbors devoted their spare time to helping others rebuild. Teenagers climbed dozens of flights of stairs to deliver water and food to elderly people trapped in powerless high-rise buildings.
接下来的几天里，帮助罗克威恢复的人们启发了娜塔莉。志愿者们带来了一车车捐赠的衣物和玩具，邻居们用业余时间来帮助别人重建家园，青少年们爬上几十层楼梯，为困在断电的高层建筑中的老人送去水和食物。
“My mom tells me that I can’t control what happens to me,” Natalie says. “but I can always choose how I deal with it. ”
娜塔莉说：“妈妈告诉我，我无法控制自己的命运，但我可以选择如何应对。”
Natalie’s choice was to help.
娜塔莉的选择是帮忙。
She created a website page matching survivors in need with donors who wanted to help. Natalie posted introduction about a boy named Patrick, who lost his baseball card collecting when his house burned down. Within days, Patrick’s collection was replaced.
她创建了一个网站页面，将需要帮助的幸存者与想要帮助的捐赠者进行匹配。娜塔莉发布了一篇关于一个名叫帕特里克的男孩的介绍，他的房子烧毁时收藏的棒球卡丢了。几天之内，帕特里克的藏品有了更新。
In the coming months, her website page helped lots of kids: Christopher, who received a new basketball; Charlie, who got a new keyboard. Natalie also worked with other organizations to bring much-need supplies to Rockaway. Her efforts made her a famous person. Last April, she was invited to the White House and honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.
接下来的几个月里，她的网页帮助了很多孩子：克里斯托弗，收到一只新篮球；查理，有了一个新键盘。娜塔莉还与其他组织合作，为罗克威带来急需的物资。她的努力使她成为名人。去年4月，她被邀请至白宫，并被授予“飓风桑迪变革先锋”称号。
Today, the scars of destruction are still seen in Rockaway, but hope is in the air. The streets are clear, and many homes have been rebuilt. “I can’t imagine living anywhere but Rockaway, ” Natalie declares. “My neighborhood will be back, even stronger than before. ”
今天，罗克威的毁灭创伤依然可见，但希望已出现。街道整洁，许多房屋已经重建。娜塔莉说：“我无法想象除了罗克威之外，我还能住在哪里，我的社区会回来，比以前更强大。”
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