The face of tsunami heartbreak
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It was the worst natural disaster to engulf many Southeast Asian nations in recent history – the tsunami of December 26, 2004!
For Sri Lanka, the ‘face’ of the tsunami which launched a generous sea of empathy and sympathy was that of 10-year-old Asitha Rukshan Fernando of Koralawella, Moratuwa.
Asitha’s tear-streaked face crumpled up in heartrending agony at his mother’s funeral, splashed across hundreds of newspapers and magazines across the world, epitomized the heartbreak of the tsunami.
The tsunami of Boxing and Poya Day devastated the coastline, tearing apart families and leaving a trail of death and destruction. Some children who went “missing” after the tsunami have never been found again, though their parents are hopeful that they are alive and are being looked after by someone else.
More than 30,000 men, women and children died in the tsunami while numerous others were affected both physically and mentally, leaving them stunned and bewildered, with a large number of homes, schools, hotels and businesses being destroyed or badly damaged.
Many of the reports and magazines which portrayed the tearstreaked face of Asitha at his mother Ranjini’s funeral, did not identify him. It was the Sunday Times which went in search of him, found him with the help of Sr. Jacintha Silva of the Sisters of Charity, Jesus and Mary from a convent close to Asitha’s home, and wrote a piece which brought help to his family from a lot of people.
For Asitha, more tragedy struck the next year – as this humble family which survived through fishing made ready to hold an almsgiving in their mother’s name, father Ivan died after falling off a moving train. The heavy responsibility of looking after Asitha and also his sibling with special needs fell on their elder sister.
However, throughout the years, in response to the Sunday Times articles, numerous people steadfastly responded in cash and kind, one even donating a house to the family.
Nineteen years after the terrible tragedy of the tsunami and as Sri Lanka marks its 75th Independence Day, Asitha is a responsible young man, having a family of his own.