About this blog

My only daughter's name is Clea. Clea was six years and nine months old and she was enjoying a family holiday in Samoa when the ocean surged as a wall, ten metres high, and drowned her. Many other people died that morning of 29 September 2009.
The other four members of her family survived the tsunami.
Life has never been the same since. It will never be the same. This blog features memories, reflections, poetry, etc...
Just let me stay with her under this moon,
hold her in my arms, spin her in the air,
with my dear daughter in some timeless swoon.

Saturday, 29 September 2012

29 September 2009: The children



The children’s names, their age.
Those of us who were there under the water but were lucky to survive, will never forget them. Never.



Eliza Taamilo 2

Sio Taufua 11 months

Dmitry Kikhtiev 1

Clea Salavert Wykes 6

Teancum Schwalger 2

Abish Schwalger 1

Joseph Purcell 4

Pili Poo 4

Maupenei Tofilau 1

Nonumaifele Tofilau 3

Siliva Eteuati 1

Amataga Tiotio 11

Vaisigano Lauvai 3

Rosa Lafaua 3

Filisi Tavita 11 months

Hatonaina Lauvai 2

Siaea Areta 1

Sima Sepelini 3

Manino Faaaliga 2

Aloalo Sao 6

Ana Iulai 5

JayJay Ulugia 2

Pefata Sau 2

Aneti Lueafitu 2

Togafalea Alesana 3

Kapeneta Viiga 3

Alema Tofu 3

Precious Malaga 5

Rachel Leuelu 5

Marilyn Ulugia 3

Quezon Lesa 3

Junior Livigisitone 2

David Sootaga 7 months

Tapuloa Taimane 4

Satelite 1

Losivale Faapoi 10

Lutia Faapoi 2

Gwenlyn Taufua 4

Aleki Taumoe 1

Aliceann Meredith 4

Malo Mikaele 3

Siu Pritchard 2

Ardmore Meredith 3

Gardenia Meredith 1

Shanna Lanu 2

Moanalei Long 9

Jayson Siu 6

Nifo Siu 10

Tuese Peilua 1

Anesone Gali 3

Leuti Sio 8

Maliumai Anetone 5

Etimani Taufua 9 months

Sili Taufua 11 months

Frazer Faaleaga 2 months

Tiloni Sio Pati 3

Seea Peilua 3

Feagai Fatuesi 2

Pelesasa Etimani 4

Ronaldo Aleni 5

Falevalu Segifili 9

Malo Vai 4

Willie Leio Taamu 5

Aleki Vai 1

Savelio Taeao 3

Jamie Viliamu 3

Alfie Cunliffe 2

3 comments:

  1. So many precious and unique lives and futures lost. There is no greater tragedy.

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  2. So so sad Jorge. Those names represent so many lost hopes and dreams. Thanks for putting names to what for many people is just a number. xxoo Nat

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  3. Thank you both for your comments. Yes, each one of them means a terrible and tragic loss, and in some cases they were siblings. I am astonished that the main Samoan newspaper has made no mention of the anniversary, at least on their online edition. They should be ashamed of themselves.

    I was so very close to dying the death all these children died... I know the terror, the fear, even to this day I vividly remember my boy's clutch, how he was shaking. All I can hope for is that they did not suffer. They could not understand what was happening, I'm sure about that.

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