Nemcova feels lucky after surviving Tsunami

Model Petra Nemcova says she is one of the lucky people to survive Tsunami, after she revisited the beach town of Khao Lak, Thailand, on the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy. The 35-year-old model was on a vacation with her boyfriend and photographer Simon Atlee on December 26, 2004, who died in the tragic accident, reported People magazine. "I never knew what a tsunami was. I never heard the word before? neverm," she said. Nemcova swept out to sea by a wall of water she clung onto a palm beach tree for almost eight hours. She suffered internal injuries, was one of the lucky ones to survive. She founded the NGO 'Happy Hearts', which has rebuilt more than 105 schools in areas impacted by natural disasters. "It gave me the drive to help children every day since, because that day I didn't have a choice and now I have a choice. The tsunami has given me many gifts and one of them has been consciousness of how lucky I am," she added.