TV Special on Seaside Tonight

The PBS Series Driving Jersey has a super special premiere tonight called "This Boardwalk Life". It chronicles four seasons in Seaside Heights following Hurricane Sandy.

Driving Jersey went to Seaside in the days just following Hurricane Sandy. This episode is titled This Boardwalk Life and takes a look at the recovery, reconstruction and rebirth of the boardwalk and town. The episode will premiere on NJTV tonight at 8 pm, with a second showing on Wednesday, May 28th at 8:30 pm. Cablevision channel 8, Comcast channel 23, and Fios channel 46.

Driving Jersey Creator and Executive Producer Steve Rogers, who we had on our show this morning, says "You could marvel at the online images of the damage, but being there, seeing it first hand, talking to those literally digging through their lives, deeply affected us and made it impossible to leave without some promise to return."

Guiding the Driving Jersey team through the depths of destruction was Seaside police officer Steve Grabowski, a shore native who gave a full tour of the boards, shared his personal reflection, and invited the team to return throughout the reconstruction.

The physical changes of Seaside Heights isn't the only thing chronicled in this special. The spirit of the residents and the devoted individuals and families who gather there is captured, presenting a look at people who were knocked down, but who are ready to get right back up.

How soon was too soon to rebuild the town? Was the town worth rebuilding at all if there remained a possibility that it could be washed away again in the future? What precautions could be taken to ensure that destruction of this magnitude could be avoided during upcoming storms?

Steve says that some of these questions had no answers, but they took away the feeling that this place is priceless because of those who live here and those that visit. This is a story about how a significant moment in time is reflected in our memories, our faith, and our strength. Steve says, "This boardwalk life comes, it goes, it's washed away and rebuilt upon the sand, before the open water that frightens and threatens us, but also always attracts what interests us most, each other."

Driving Jersey is an Emmy Nominated series airing on NJTV and is also available on the web by CLICKING HERE.