The Statue of Liberty made it through Sandy unscathed, but the property surrounding it was hammered by the storm.
NBC 4 New York obtained some of the first images of the damage Liberty Island sustained from Sandy. The storm left thousands of brick pavers torn up, a cracked sea wall and twisted railings and docks.
Liberty Island Superintendent David Luchsinger, the property's only resident, said when he first returned to the island he has lived on for three and a half years, he saw a tattered flag flying and the torch of Lady Liberty soaring -- a sign of resilience after the storm. He said he felt a wave of emotion, mostly pride, that the statue made it through Sandy.
His home, however, was all but destroyed. The 62-year-old Luchsinger said it won't be rebuilt and that he didn't think anyone would live on the island again once he and his wife left for good.
Liberty Island has been closed since Sandy hit Oct. 29. Crews continue to work to clean up and repair the damage.
Luchsinger couldn't estimate how long it would take the island to reopen.
