The sea is not what you see Tsunami

It was a regular morning. The sun was shining and no cloud hid it. My family and I were on a holiday for two weeks at the hotel, ,the hotel was near the sea because my mother and I asked for it. I love to come to the beach to clean my head or just spend time with my family. That day won’t be forgotten ever… from that day I can not sleep or even think about the sea or water, even about happiness, about sand and family … especially family. I remember it like it was yesterday. I went to the beach with my parents and my older brother, the sun smiled and there was no sign of a disaster.
I played in the sand, my older brother was in the water, and my parents were sunbanned on the beach. I remember the white foam going back and forth and coming back and every wave rised upper and I realized that something was wrong and that something unusual is going to happen.

I  shouted towards my parents and my brother, “Mom!, Dad!, Nadav!, come quick!, we must get out of here!” My heart was beating very hard and I knew that if I did not do something, I would regret it.

My parents came quickly and asked me “what happened?”

But I did not have time to answer, and a woman shouted, “A huge wave is coming towards us!” , My parents did not understand what was happening, and then I realized that Nadav was still in the water. I tried to enter the sea crying, but my parents stopped me and said it was too late. But I insisted not to give up on him!

My father jumped into the water and we started crying, because we knew that if he went into the water he would not come back.

My mother tried to stay calm and said to me:”everything will be all right” and she said that we should run.

At that moment the waves got closer and closer and the smell of danger increased, I ran with all my strength and I left my family behind me and when I turned my head back I’ve noticed they were not there.

I thaought that they were covered by the waves,  I felt so selfish by leaving my family there, alone! I can not imagine how they felt. I felt guilt for abanding them in my attempt to escape.

I arrived at the rescuer’s building and shouted on the loudspeaker “Tsunami!”

The whole beach was in a panic!

But no one including me did not manage to run from that building because the wave covered us all.

When I woke up I saw the sky and I had scratches all over my body, I was the only one who survived.

I tried to get up but noticed that my leg had been cut off from glass and was filthy, I wanted so much to cry for help but I knew that even if I cried nobody would hear me.

So I got up from the ground alone,I was frightened, alone and the was silence everywere, I was wrapped in seaweed that covered me and I was soaked.

I got up and walked as far as I could from the sea hoping I’ll find people or buildings that were not destroyed and could help me, but unfortunately everything was destroyed and I was the only one who survived.

I crawled through the bushes and out of the trees and found land with people!

I remember the moment when I realized there was hope!

Sang Lee called the ambulance and the police and everyone else who could tell my story. Within half an hour there were many rescuers from different countries that I did not even know existed!

I was in the hospital for a year and tried to digest the fact that I was an orphan.

That I had the opportunity to save my parents and I did not realize it. But if I had realized it I was not sure I was alive now to tell the story.

My grandparents adopted me and raised me to this day. Today is 8 years since the disaster.

Eight years without a mother and father and of course Nadav .. Their bodies have not yet been found like many other people.

Blog                                      27.06.2004

My Dear Diary
Yesterday I went with Mom,Dad and Nadav to hotel near the beach. Mom and Dad were sunbathing. I played with sand and Nadav was played in the water. And suddenly I heard noises, I did not understand what it was, and what was happening, suddenly I saw a huge wave coming toward us. I realized it was a tsunami and I remembered that Nadav was still in the water, I wanted to save him, but my mother told me it was too late to save him, I ran with all my might Suddenly I heard noise and boom! I was in the wave!. When I woke up I saw a woman, she told me her name was Sang Li and she came to help me, she took care of me and in the meantime my leg is healing. I’ll write to you tomorrow too and I hope one of my family is still alive.

Goodbye, Shiri