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"My Love Will Never Die": Driver Writes Farewell Note While Stranded On LIE During Blizzard
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 10, 2013
Modified Feb 10, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 10, 2013
Modified Feb 10, 2013
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While state and local official implored people to stay off roads during Friday's intense blizzard conditions, many drivers still ventured out—and those on the Long Island Expressway were stranded over night. One woman was so alarmed by being trapped in her car, she wrote what she thought might be her final words to her family.
The AP reports that Priscilla Arena "told her 9 1/2-year-old daughter, Sophia, she was 'picture-perfect beautiful.' And she advised her 5 ½-year-old son, John: 'Remember all the things that mommy taught you. Never say you hate someone you love. Take pride in the things you do, especially your family. ... Don't get angry at the small things; it's a waste of precious time and energy. Realize that all people are different, but most people are good.... My love will never die — remember, always,' she added."
Arena says that she wasn't able to leave work early and was on the LIE at 4 p.m. after leaving her job in Ronkonkoma. She was rescued after 12 hours.
Long Island was hit with about 30 inches of snow, but roads were open until they got really bad (the LIE was closed at 9:30 p.m. on Friday). The NY Times reported that during his visit to Long Island yesterday, Governor Cuomo "defended the decision to allow the Long Island Expressway and other major thoroughfares to remain open. In Massachusetts, the authorities banned cars from the roads before the storm. 'We wanted to give people an opportunity to get home,' Mr. Cuomo said. 'We didn’t want to strand people at work.'"
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was also defensive, "If this storm had occurred two hours later, the hundreds of people who were stranded would have made it home." Well, next time!
Tagged
Blizzard
governor cuomo
long island
long island expressway
snow
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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