Surviving A Tsunami At Thirteen: A Memoir

by Monica Ribeiro Connelly

At thirteen years of age, Monica went through an extraordinary life experience. She survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, also known as the Boxing Day Tsunami. It hit coastlines in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand.

It was one of the largest tsunamis ever recorded, with a magnitude of 9.1-9.3 (Richter’s scale). Nearly 230,000 people lost their lives that day, making it one of the deadliest disasters in modern history.

At the time, Monica was vacationing with her parents in Khao Lak, Thailand. They were at the beach that morning when the first wave struck. She lost her parents that day, her life being changed forever. Monica survived and decided to share her story through this book.

230 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2023

Reviews

[Erin Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This young woman did a fabulous job telling her story. I cannot even begin to imagine what she went through. Her faith in God is amazing. At such a youthful age she knew He would be there through everything. Whether she lived or died she knew He was by her side. Everything she went through was unimaginable. I liked how she talked about her life after with her uncle and the treatment she received. It was good to see everything was not sunshine and roses yet she kept her faith in God through it all.