Celebrity News March 11, 2011
Supermodel Petra Nemcova Recalls 2004 Tsunami Devastation
Friday's earthquake in Japan forced supermodel Petra Nemcova to recall the nightmare she encountered in a near-death experience in the 2004 Thailand tsunami, caused by a massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Nemcova clung tightly to the top of a palm tree with a broken hip. Her fiancé, Simon Atlee, was swept away by the enormous tidal wave and drowned.
Knowing all too well what the people of Japan are going through, Petra spoke to "Extra" and said, "Your heart sinks with all the people who are there. All the people who are worried about their loved ones."
She added, "My heart sinks for all the people who are now suffering, and in fear... in pain. You can't even imagine what it feels like to be there, to have that fear of, 'Are we going to escape on time?'"
Japan's most powerful earthquake struck the northeastern side of the island at 2:46 PM, unleashing 30-foot walls of water and killing hundreds of people.
Nemcova is also the founder of the Happy Hearts Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving children's lives through educational and sustainable programs in natural disaster areas. To learn more, go to HappyHeartsFund.org.
