I Don’t Want to Die: How the Soos Survived the 2004 Tsunami
PETALING JAYA: December 26, 2004. Like many others, they were on a holiday in Thailand – Edward Soo, his stepfather Lim Woo Jeong, his mother Jamie Sue, his then girlfriend Emely Chai, and his three younger sisters, including Olivia Soo.
That day, they had planned to take a boat ride to Emerald Cave. Located off the west coast of Ko Muk Island in southern Thailand, the site’s main attraction is a lagoon with a beach only accessible via a narrow 80-meter tunnel, through which visitors have to swim. Edward had initially debated whether to go to the cave. "I was tired, unenergetic, and slightly under the weather," the now 42-year-old told FMT Lifestyle. Still, he eventually decided to join his family.
As they had overslept, they ended up on a later boat ride – unaware that a major earthquake had occurred off the coast of Sumatra earlier that morning. "My uncle in Hat Yai tried to call us and tell us not to go. But we were on the boat and didn’t hear the phone," Olivia said.
Yet, even before they left for Thailand, their mother felt uneasy and called Emely twice, wishing to cancel the holiday. But after discussing it, they decided to proceed.
When they arrived at the cave, Jamie still felt uneasy, especially since she didn’t know how to swim. "This is the part that hit me really hard, because I was the one who convinced her to go in," said Olivia, 37. "I said, ‘Let’s just go in. Let’s not make it difficult for everyone.’" Jamie eventually agreed and got into the water. Not long after that, the waves came crashing.
"I heard a very loud sound. I turned around and saw a wave coming," Edward recalled. Thinking it was a natural part of the activity, he held his breath as water rushed into the tunnel. But he soon realised something was amiss.
"When you are faced with a near-death situation, some say you see flashes of your life or feel last-minute regrets. It wasn’t the case for me. I had a very calm conversation with God. ‘Is this it? Are you calling me back to Your kingdom?’ I told God, ‘I leave it in Your hands.’ I let my breath go. Surprisingly, the water subsided and I could breathe again," he said.
Noticing a light at the end of the tunnel, he swam towards it.
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami claimed over 227,000 lives. (Wikipedia pic)
Olivia, too, had assumed it was part of the activity. "When it hit, it was as if you were in a washing machine. I soon realised, ‘Something is not right,’" she said.
She recalled losing consciousness briefly but woke up when she heard her sister crying. "And my mum was shouting, ‘I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!’" Olivia held tightly to them, but another wave came crashing in. Just when she was about to lose her grip, she saw the beach ahead of them and was relieved to find that her sister was OK.
"But my mum was not. She was no longer talking. We were floating because of the life jackets, but her head was in the water."
Several people eventually helped them to safety. Later, Olivia discovered she had a deep wound on her head.
Similarly, Emely – now Edward’s wife – had felt like she was inside a washing machine. "I felt my body thrown everywhere, especially towards the side of the cave. It was very rough," said the 42-year-old, who sustained deep cuts on her face.
She, too, had had a conversation with God. "I asked, ‘Is this really it? Is this the end of my life?’ Then, I saw flashbacks. After that, suddenly, the water subsided and I could breathe again."
She remembers swimming towards the light and was eventually pulled to safety.
The Aftermath
Edward still recalls the harrowing sight of his mother after she was pulled out of the water. "I checked her pulse. It was weak and very soft. I could barely hear or feel her breathing, but she was breathing." He performed CPR on her. "She first vomited a lot of water, followed by bile. Then her lips turned purple. She slowly stopped breathing."
Since that day, he’s always thought to himself: "What if I’d done something differently? What if I didn’t perform CPR? Would she have woken up by herself? Did I do the right thing?"
In an instant, life had rapidly changed for Edward, who had celebrated his 22nd birthday less than two weeks prior.
Lim Woo Jeong and Jamie Sue were the only two who lost their lives in Emerald Cave that day. (Olivia Soo pic)
Meanwhile, Olivia had tried looking for their stepfather. "I saw him floating out of the cave. I shouted for people to help me pull him out because he was quite muscular and big-sized." As the waters were still choppy, his body washed back into the cave several times before they managed to get him out. "He was no longer breathing. We couldn’t do much for him," Edward said.
Tragically, their parents were the only ones who lost their lives at Emerald Cave. The survivors were eventually rescued later that day. Emely and the Soos were rushed to hospital.
When they finally returned to Malaysia, Olivia didn’t cry – not even during the wake and funeral. "I couldn’t. There was just nothing. It was only after everything was done that the tears came," she said.
Even after the tsunami subsided, the family continued to feel its brutal impact. Their two younger sisters, then aged seven and 12, moved to Penang to live with their aunt. Olivia, Edward, and their brother – who had not joined them on the trip – remained in Kepong with their grandmother.
Over time, they rebuilt their lives. Olivia learnt to be more independent, while Edward and Emely got married.
"Edward became stronger. I know I can rely on him if anything happens because we went through such a horrifying experience together," said Emely.
Over the years, the family didn’t speak much about what happened. In fact, it was only during their interview with FMT Lifestyle that they gained a clearer picture of what each other went through.
"As I look back 20 years later, all my siblings are married. We have our kids. Things may not be ideal, but I would say we have been blessed with so much since we lost everything on the spot 20 years ago," Edward said.
"Today, we don’t lack much. God has been good to us. Through this experience, I’ve learnt we have to be very grateful for everything we have, no matter how small," he concluded.
FAQs
- When did the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami occur?
- December 26, 2004
- How many lives was the tsunami estimated to have claimed?
- Over 227,000
- Where did the Soos go on their holiday?
- Thailand
- What was the main attraction at Emerald Cave?
- A lagoon with a beach only accessible via a narrow 80-meter tunnel
- What happened to the Soos’ parents?
- They lost their lives in the tsunami
- How did the Soos rebuild their lives?
- They became more independent, and Edward and Emely got married
- What has Edward’s experience taught him?
- To be grateful for everything they have, no matter how small