On December 26, 2004, the world witnessed one of the most devastating natural disasters of our time: the Indian Ocean tsunami. Stretching across the coastlines of various countries, this tragedy left behind immense loss and grief. Among those who experience this calamity were two survivors from Finland, Liisa Suonsivu and Gerts Friman. A new documentary series titled Tsunami: Paluu paratiisiin sheds light on their harrowing survival stories and their emotional journeys.
For Liisa and Gerts, what began as dream vacations turned tragic within moments. Liisa, newly married at the time, was on holiday with her husband Risto and their two young children, Tuukka and Tytti, both under ten. They had arrived to enjoy the sun on the beaches of Khao Lak, Thailand. Meanwhile, Gerts was also on holiday with his partner Yvonne and her children from a previous marriage. Festivities on the day after Christmas quickly turned nightmarish as they both found themselves grappling with terrifying waves and unexpected chaos.
According to the documentary, Gerts recalls the morning of the tsunami distinctly. "I was amazed when the shower shook the hotel. I thought nothing of it at the time," he recounts. After breakfast, he noticed something unusual happening at sea. "People started pointing at the horizon, where suddenly there was a white line approaching—we didn’t know it was the tsunami." Initially, there was no immediate threat, and they thought they were merely witnessing larger waves.
A sense of calm quickly dissipated when the ocean receded rapidly, creating panic among beachgoers. "It was as if the ocean inhaled, and everyone was left astonished. Suddenly, I saw the enormous wall of water coming toward us, and instinct kicked in—I had to get the kids to safety," Gerts explains his frantic actions as he rushed to lead his family away from danger.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted around them. Gerts and Yvonne had only traveled about 50 to 60 meters when Yvonne turned back to check on others. This became the last moment they would ever share as Gerts found himself alone, witnessing the incomprehensible force of nature. "I didn’t find them. They were not at the same place. It was the worst moment," he reflects painfully.
On her part, Liisa was trying to comprehend her situation after the waves crashed down. "I was only left with my dreams, and nothing else," she admits during the documentary, describing the moment she realized she had lost everyone she loved. She and Gerts later found each other during support group meetings aimed at helping tsunami survivors cope with their loss.
The film follows their emotional healing process, illustrating how their mutual pain blossomed from friendship to romance over the years. "We are together now for 18 years," Liisa joyfully says as she reflects on their life together, citing their shared experience as the cement for their relationship. They both understand the significance of their story, which became stronger through their shared vulnerability and resilience.
Remarkably, this documentary coincides with the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. Through powerful storytelling, the series aims to memorialize not just their individual losses but also the collective grief experienced by countless families across the region. Gerts poignantly acknowledges, "I have been thinking about this for almost 20 years, so that's a thousand weeks." His emotional burden reflects the reality faced not just by survivors like him and Liisa, but by all who lived through this painful chapter of history.
The significance of Tsunami: Paluu paratiisiin lies not only in its documentation of past events but also as a beacon of hope for those who grapple with survivor’s guilt and loss. By returning to their roots, Liisa and Gerts symbolize the enduring human spirit and the ability to find love and solace amid tragedies.
The first episode premieres on December 26, 2024, and it promises to encapsulate the raw emotion of this disaster through the eyes of those who lived it. Their return to Thailand for this documentary serves as both a tribute to their lost families and as part of their healing process.
Both survivors invite viewers to join them on this emotional odyssey to understand not just their personal narratives but the broader impact of the tsunami, reminding us how tragedy can forge unexpected connections between people. Through it all, they continue to honor the memories of those they loved and lost on what once was to be just another day at the beach.
