On December 26, 2004, Petra Nemcova, one of the most successful super-models in the world, was vacationing in Thailand with her fiance, Simon Atlee.
The couple was swept away by the Indian Ocean Tsunami, which was one of deadliest natural disasters in history. It killed over 230,000 people in 14 countries with waves up to 100 feet high.
Petra survived the tsunami by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours, despite a broken pelvis and severe internal injuries. Eventually, she was rescued by Thai civilians and airlifted to a local hospital. Unfortunately, Simon did not survive.
As Petra recovered from her injuries at her family’s home in the Czech Republic, she thought about how lucky she was to have a home to return to. The Thai people had suffered the devastating loss of virtually everything.
As soon as she was able to walk, Petra returned to Thailand with a determination to help the Thai people re-build their shattered lives. She established the Happy Hearts Fund in 2006.
The mission of the Happy Hearts Fund is to re-build safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters. The Happy Hearts Fund is now active in 10 countries, and has rebuilt 130 schools that were damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.
You can learn more about Petra and the Happy Hearts Fund in this moving 2013 interview.
Do you have a mission that could turn tragedy into something positive?