Celebrities Among Victims of Tsunami

[NVMojo]

BANGKOK, Thailand - A German statesman, a Czech supermodel and a Swedish Olympic ski champion were among the vacationers whose search for peace and sun in tropical southern Asia was shattered by the tsunamis that spared neither rich nor poor.

Petra Nemcova — who appeared on the cover of 2003 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue — was carried away with her boyfriend, the fashion photographer Simon Atlee, after a huge wave plowed into southern Thailand on Sunday.

Nemcova's New York spokesman, Rob Shuter, said the model and her boyfriend had been vacationing in the resort of Phuket when waves overwhelmed their beach hut.

Nemcova, 25, clung to a tree for eight hours as the water swirled around her. She was recovering in a Thai hospital from broken bones, possibly including a broken pelvis, and unspecified internal injuries.

snip...

Hollywood actor-director Richard Attenborough's family also suffered tragedy. His granddaughter, Lucy, 14, perished and his daughter, Jane, and her mother-in-law are missing in Phuket. Another granddaughter, Alice, 17, was being treated in a hospital.


Attenborough's directorial credits include "Cry Freedom," "Chaplin" and the Oscar-winning "Gandhi." He has appeared in scores of films including "The Great Escape," "Elizabeth" and "Jurassic Park."

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&u=/ap/20041228/ap_en_ce/quake_celebrities&printer=1

[Lorien]

1. Sad for all; rich and poor, famous and anonymous

all deserve our prayers and good thoughts. What a horrific tragedy. :cry:

[shraby]

2. Nature is not prejudiced.

Makes no difference who you are if you are in the path of her fury.

[arcos]

3. I think this is a dupe...

the first might have been posted on another forum though, not sure.

[pacifictiger]

4. the grandson of the king

of Thailand was also killed.

[NVMojo]

5. yeah, this disaster is not discriminating ...what a tragedy this event is

[Prodemsouth]

7. Sad that natural disaster are one of the few things that do not

discrimate. Its a shame that organizations that are supposed to do good do discrimate.

[cliss]

6. Ingemar Stenmark was laying on the beach

as the tsunami approached. Also, several members of a prominent Swedish family have perished...more to come.

The grandson of King Bhumibol Adjulyadej was also killed. Terrible stuff.

[Xipe Totec]

8. When we look about us...

When we look about us we see the marks of change and decay written upon every living thing. The cradle and the coffin stand side by side -- and, it is a solemn truth that as soon as we begin to live, that moment we begin to die. Yet how seldom do we seriously consider our own approaching end? We go on from design to design, add hope to hope, and lay out the plans for the employment of many years. Then the messenger of death comes when we least expect him. What are all the externals of majesty, the pride of wealth, or charms of beauty when nature has paid her last just debt? In the grave all fallacies are detected, all ranks leveled, all distinctions are done away. Here the scepter of the prince and the staff of the beggar lie side by side.

These words from the Masonic burial service always come to my mind when faced with such tragedy.

[sam sarrha]

9. a young prince of Thailand was drowned also..

[fujiyama]

10. My uncle's friend's cousin

was killed as well. Apparently, his son watched his father and mother being killed.

This has been very terrible...and it seems as though it was all in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately for nations like Sri Lanka, the impact will be even more devastating. Diseases like cholera can spread easilly.