A North Carolina man says the Fourth of July is "perfect timing" for the reopening of the Statue of Liberty. Rodney Long says, "It's really a symbol for what the country is all about."

A family walks by the Statue of Liberty on the first day it is open to the public after Hurricane Sandy
A family walks by the Statue of Liberty on the first day it is open to the public after Hurricane Sandy (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
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He and his wife Judy were the first people in line for the boat this morning to Liberty Island, where there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony with federal officials and New York's mayor. The Longs couldn't get tickets to climb to the top of the statue, but said they were just glad to be there for the reopening.

The statue has been closed since Superstorm Sandy swamped its island in New York Harbor last October.

A Brooklyn couple brought their three kids to the island today -- figuring it would be a fitting way to celebrate today's sixth birthday of one of their daughters. Heather Leykam, whose mother's home was destroyed during the storm, says Liberty Island "is really about a rebirth." She calls it "a sense of renewal for the city and the country."

Some repairs to brick walkways and docks are continuing, but much of the work has been completed in the months since Sandy swamped most of the island's 12 acres. The statue itself didn't suffer any damage from the storm.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

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