Supermodel Petra Nemcova Describes Witnessing A Catastrophic Tsunami

In December of 2004, a 9.5-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia triggered a catastrophic tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia, including Thailand. Over 200,000 people lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. Join us in this slideshow as we explore the eyewitness account of supermodel Petra Nemcova.

Nemcova was vacationing in Thailand with her boyfriend when the tsunami struck. She described the moment as a blur of frantic movement and the wave crashing into their bungalow, breaking glass everywhere. Nemcova said, “Everything happened in split seconds.”

Nemcova said, “At some point, I couldn’t breathe anymore. And I thought, ‘That’s it.’ That’s my last moment. And I let go. And actually, it was the most blissful moment of my life.”

Severely injured with a broken pelvis, Nemcova clung to a palm tree for about eight hours. She recalled the haunting screams of children around her, which eventually faded, indicating they could no longer hold on. Nemcova said, “Half an hour later, I couldn’t hear them anymore. And that meant that they couldn’t hold on. I couldn’t swim out [to them] because I was trapped by debris. That day, I couldn’t help. I had no choice.”

Nemcova added, “Hearing children screaming for help and not being able to help them, that leaves such a powerful mark. Today and every day, I have a choice to help.”

Her boyfriend did not survive the disaster. Nemcova stated, “I heard Simon screaming my name, and it was the last time I heard him.” Despite the trauma, she survived.

In 2005 Nemcova founded the Happy Hearts Fund to rebuild schools in disaster-affected areas. The organization has since evolved into All Hands and Hearts, focusing on disaster preparedness and recovery.

In 2005, Nemcova returned to Thailand to honor Atlee and confront her fears. Nemcova said, “If you appreciate the gift of air, if you appreciate the ability to move your legs, everything else is much richer. Your life is happier. You’re living instead of just surviving.”

Years after the tsunami, a cargo container at a police station in southern Thailand holds wallets, documents, and electronics from victims never identified.

Colonel Khemmarin Hassini, deputy police commander in Takua Pa, noted that many relatives still hope to find their loved ones. In Thailand, where more than 5,000 people died, the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit, involving police and forensic experts from 30 countries, identified over 3,600 bodies in under two years.

Colonel Khemmarin was part of this effort but mentioned that many communication channels have since shut down, leading to lost leads. Hin Temna, 76, from Ban Nam Khem village, lost seven family members, including his oldest daughter, who remains missing. He expressed his despair, stating, “There’s no use to keep hoping. I don’t think we will.”