Swept out to sea by a wall of water on Dec. 26, 2004, she clung onto a … I can't begin to tell you what an honor and a privilege it was to be sitting across from Maria Belon, a Spanish doctor who, along with her husband and three sons, miraculously survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami… "None of us is scared of the sea – it wasn’t the sea’s fault. He had just got out of the pool to fetch the ball we had bought them on Christmas Day. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. The tsunami that ravaged the coasts of the Indian ocean on Boxing Day 2004 is still fresh in the minds of millions. They took refuge in another tree before being rescued by locals from a nearby village. As a result of that day, the two forged a connection. 2004 Tsunami: Petra Nemcova, the supermodel who survived the Boxing Day tragedy . A British Boxing Day tsunami survivor has shared her experience of the horrific day that left her orphaned as a young girl. In early November 2004, Hawai’i resident Dwayne Meadows attended a scientific conference where he purchased a commemorative t-shirt. She has said of her experience- The tsunami was an incredible gift. Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Also Read: Jamie Foxx To Star And Produce Amazon Studios' 'The Burial'; Details Here, Also Read: Is 'Operation Christmas Drop' A Real Story? He got washed away but grabbed a tree and clung on for half an hour. The dad wept, sure the others were drowned. “We couldn’t see the wave,” says Maria, who is a doctor. Their incredible survival was turned into the film after the director, Juan Antonio Bayona, heard her on radio. Something went wrong, please try again later. Survivors, local residents and visitors release paper lanterns during a ceremony for victims of 2004 tsunami in Ban Nam Khem, a southern fishing village in Thailand destroyed by the wave. Cert 12A, Running time 114mins. On 26 December 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, triggered a deadly tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people and rendered millions homeless. After being submerged for more than three minutes, she finally surfaced and clung on to a tree. Amazingly, Maria says the trip “wasn’t difficult at all”. You can accuse the film of having a thin storyline, and later episodes where the family keep missing one another despite being in the same spot are overdone, but it earns a whole lot of points for its realism and technical craft. A teenager whose family survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand and had their story told in a Hollywood film is training to be a lifeguard in Wales. “We started to hear a very horrible sound. “In that moment it felt like the most blessed vision I have ever had. As the relief effort gets underway, Maria and her eldest, Lucas (an impressive Tom Holland), struggle to survive while attempting to discover the fate of Henry and the twins. Thank you for visiting the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Survivor website. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. After the tsunami calmed, Belon was able to reach land with Lucas. Seconds later, Maria and her terrified husband and three sons were swept away by a ferocious 30ft wall of water that devoured everything in its path. Just go with it, however, and you’ll enjoy an intensely emotional disaster movie. Surrounded by her loving family as she relaxed by the pool on a dream holiday, Maria Belon felt she must be the luckiest woman in the world. Maria says: “About 15 metres away I could see a little head, and I thought ‘My goodness, I think it’s Lucas’. She swam after him, but a large wave occured, dragging her through rubble and hard objects and she was critically wounded. The pair were reunited and perched on the branch of another tree for half an hour. AIUDF chief hits back at Akhil Gogoi's 'communal' tag; calls him 'BJP's B-Team' in Assam, SDPI fields Taslim Rehmani for Mallapuram by-poll after IUML candidate vacates seat, PM Modi meets Amit Shah ahead of BJP CEC to finalise party's strategy for assembly polls, Imran Khan vows 'won't spare Opposition' even if he loses vote of confidence on Saturday, 'The Impossible' real family; Know all about the Belon family, Is 'The Impossible' A True Story? Then, amazingly, they heard little Simon yelling for help above the roar of rushing water. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. When I was up the tree, bleeding very heavily with very deep wounds, I could feel the dying process. But Maria was convinced the rest of the family could not have been so lucky. Enrique works with the refugees who arrive in Greece. While it’s based on the true story of a Spanish family, director Juan Antonio Bayona hasn’t been afraid to tweak the facts to maximise the drama. During the course of filming Maria and Naomi, 44, became close. 2012’s The Impossible tells the story of María Belón, Enrique Alvárez, and their three children Lucas, Simón and Tomás as the family survives the 2004 tsunami. Quique had to make the heartbreaking decision to leave Simon and Tomas in the care of strangers on the roof of the hotel. In 2020, he worked as a frontline worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read: Khloe Kardashian Jokes How Much Tristan "likes Other Women" As She Introduces 'Quarantina', Maria has continued to work as a doctor while also working as an advocate for survivors who are still recovering from the disaster. True story of The Impossible - Miracle survival of family who inspired tsunami movie She was petrified, alone and convinced she was dying – but in a … Mama! A family's 'Impossible' journey of healing. Know More About Netflix's Holiday Film. She said in a 2017 interview with Mirror that while she was facing the sea and saw a huge black wall and she did not think it was the see; it was like a black wall was coming to get her and the others. These are people who have faced and fought real adversity.// Maria Belon is a Spanish physician and motivational speaker known for surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami when she was on vacation in Thailand with her husbane Enqrique and their three sons. "It was so hard to work out what things were because nothing looked normal.”. “I was facing the sea and saw a huge black wall. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. The Asian tsunami on 26 December 2004 claimed the lives of 149 people who are British citizens or have close links to the UK, say police. "You just think about saving them. Her husband Enrique Alvárez and their children have appeared at the film's premieres. The stunning recreation of the moment the wave came crashing down on the luxury hotel in Khao Lak is horrific. My whole life is extra time.”. Anyone who tested positive and their contacts have been traced and advised to isolate, Family of 5st man who starved after disability benefits cut lose case on day of Budget, Errol Graham is the human face of how disabled people are cast aside by the Tory government - the timing of the judgment was a coincidence but seems to sum up how disabled people have been treated since 2010, Secret tunnel dating back hundreds of years found by workmen moving garden pole, A Western Power Distribution team were doing a job in Tintern, Monmouthshire when they found a man-made tunnel running alongside a fast flowing stream. My whole life is extra time. The Impossible, released in 2012, is a movie based on the real-life events that took place during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, but the family whose story is depicted is also a real family.The Belon – Alvarez family was in Thailand for their Christmas Holidays, on December 26, 2004, when the unfortunate event took place. After the tsunami struck, Quique had lost the youngest sons who had been in his arms until the extreme force of the wave sent him crashing into a column on the ground floor of the hotel. The Impossible is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Read on to know more about the family and their story. The Bennetts are a well-off family from the UK on vacation at a resort in Thailand. The film, the first movie dramatisation of the disaster, is tipped for Oscar success. German Survivors Recall Tsunami Horror. And as part of the filming process, the family returned to the hotel which has been rebuilt after being flattened by the wave.