Robert Mecea for New York Daily News
Token clerk Jack Epter had to sleep in a subway station crew room after Hurricane Sandy flooded his Rockaways home.
Jack Epter didn’t save anyone’s life.
He didn’t leap on the subway tracks and pull someone from the path of an oncoming train or perform CPR on a rider suffering a heart attack.
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Epter, a token booth clerk, simply did his job, day in and day out, without fail, despite essentially being homeless.
Flooding during Hurricane Sandy rendered Epter’s house in the Rockaways uninhabitable. So he slept in a subway station crew room for two nights, then an emergency city shelter for another pair of nights, and then a furniture repair shop for about a week.
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For about six months, Epter, 65, stayed at a series of hotels participating in FEMA and Red Cross relief programs.
No matter where he laid his head, he got up and went to work each day.
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“I guess I didn’t want to admit defeat,” Epter said. “I also love my job. I love providing customers with directions, assisting them with the purchase of MetroCards, putting a smile on their face by joking with them.”
For his dedication, Epter was nominated for a Hometown Heroes in Transit award by Transport Workers Union Local 100.
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It was difficult for Epter to be unmoored and living out of a suitcase for so long. So was dealing with insurance companies, utilities, relief agencies and all the red tape that follows such a natural disaster, he said.
Work, he said, was actually a welcome constant.
“It gave me peace of mind, a feeling of accomplishment,” the 33-year transit veteran said. “No matter what, if I made it to work, the day was a positive.”
For nearly 20 years, Epter worked the same station: Beach 44th St. It’s a minute, literally, from his home, he said. Although he’s eligible to retire, it’s not happening anytime soon, he said.
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“Seeing the same customers year after year gives me a lot of satisfaction,” he said. “Having customers who I haven’t seen for 10 or 15 years come back, recognize and acknowledge me, also is satisfying. It’s something I enjoy. It’s not something I’m ready to give up, and as long as I’m healthy, I’m going to continue.”
Hometown Heroes — which honors city subway and bus workers who go the extra mile — is a joint project of the Daily News, the MTA and TWU Local 100. Nominations will be accepted through Nov. 15.
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