It was 20 years ago, but for those who witnessed it, the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, is an event that is impossible to forget. A massive earthquake, with a magnitude of 9.1, occurred off the coast of Indonesia, triggering one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. More than 220,000 people lost their lives across several countries, with the coastal regions of Southeast Asia bearing the brunt of the devastation. I was in Phuket, Thailand, at the time, on vacation, completely unaware that my life would be forever marked by the tragedy.
A Sudden, Silent Warning
The day began like any other—clear skies, calm sea. But everything changed in an instant….