Editor's Note

On Dec. 26, 2004, the earth tilted about an inch on its axis because of an earthquake in the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami destroyed coastal communities in 13 countries, killed at least 175,000 people and left 800,000 homeless.

Six months earlier SPORTS ILLUSTRATED was on location in the Gulf of Siam, Thailand, some 600 miles north of the epicenter. The resort where we shot suffered little damage, but the tsunami touched the magazine in another way. Petra Nemcova, who had done a shoot for this issue in Honduras (page 42), was on vacation at a Thai resort in Khao Lak with her boyfriend, photographer Simon Atlee, when waves crashed into their beachfront bungalow at 8 a.m. Atlee was swept out to sea; Nemcova managed to grab hold of a palm tree, to which she clung for eight hours while waves pounded against her and bodies floated by.

When the water finally receded, Nemcova was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for a broken pelvis and other injuries. Twelve days later she was medevaced to her native Czech Republic. Atlee is still missing and is presumed dead.

In a statement written from her hospital bed, Nemcova wrote, "I ask for privacy as I try to heal from the loss of my love. I'm living day by day right now and truly feel fortunate to be alive...." Even though she was bedridden, Nemcova found a way to contribute to the relief effort. She consented to be photographed under the condition that all proceeds from the sale of that picture be donated to Save the Children and UNICEF. The good news: She was released from the hospital on Jan. 28 and is recuperating in her hometown of Karvina.