PORT MONMOUTH, N.J. - Ten years after New Jersey's worst modern natural disaster, state leaders commemorated the work that's been done to rise from the ashes of Superstorm Sandy.

"We had no idea how much that day would change our state, and change it did," said Gov. Phil Murphy. "But here is our opportunity that when we wake up tomorrow, we will do so knowing that over the past decade and through all the devastation that Sandy wrought, we are changing New Jersey to be more resilient and storm hardy."

Murphy was led on a tour of the Monmouth Flood Protection Project in Port Monmouth, seeing firsthand the work of the Army Corps of Engineers, which included decade-long construction of levees, flood walls, a tide gate and road closure gate, drainage improvements and dunes, which officials say have saved lives and property.

New Jersey U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, who joined Murphy on the tour, said the story of the storm lies within the neighbors and friends of those affected, who lent their time, money and food to those who needed it most.

"A story of grit and purpose, of perseverance and resilience," Menendez said.

"When we saw the worst storm of our history, we saw the best of New Jersey," Booker said.