Did Maria Bennet survive the tsunami?
María Belón (born May 12, 1966) is a Spanish physician and motivational speaker, known for surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami when she was on vacation in Thailand with her husband Enrique (Quique) Álvarez and three sons Lucas, Simón and Tomás. She was severely injured in the tsunami and nearly died.
Did Maria Belon survive?
After being submerged for more than three minutes, she finally surfaced and clung on to a tree. She was petrified, alone and convinced she was dying – but in a miracle that has inspired new film The Impossible, the mum and her family survived.
Where Are They Now Maria Belon?
What happened to Maria Belón after the tsunami? Belón is still a practicing physician. Her main focus though is to be a motivational speaker, traveling around the world and telling her story at various conferences.
How true to life is The Impossible?
IS THE IMPOSSIBLE BASED ON A TRUE STORY? Yes! The film is based on the real events of the December 2004 tsunami that struck Thailand. The Impossible also follows a real family, but their story was tweaked for the film.
What injuries did Maria Belon sustain?
Maria had deep gashes to her chest and a terrible wound on her thigh – but amid the agony and confusion, she saw something that gladdened her heart. Maria says: “About 15 metres away, I could see a little head, and I thought, ‘My goodness, I think it’s Lucas.
Where is the Belon family from?
Though the Bennet family in The Impossible is British, the real family that inspired the film is from Spain. María Belón, a physician, and her husband Enrique Álvarez were in Khao Lak, Thailand with their three sons, Lucas, Simón and Tomás when the tsunami struck.
Who was Maria Belon and how did she survive the tsunami?
María Belón (born May 12, 1966) is a Spanish physician and motivational speaker, known for surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami when she was on vacation in Thailand with her husband Enrique (Quique) Álvarez and three sons Lucas, Simón and Tomás. She was severely injured in the tsunami and nearly died.
Who was swept away by the Indian Ocean tsunami?
Seconds later, Maria and her terrified husband and three sons were swept away by a ferocious 30ft wall of water that devoured everything in its path. Maria was horrifically wounded as she was dragged under water by the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of Boxing Day 2004.
Where did Quique leave Simon and Tomas after the tsunami?
Quique had to make the heartbreaking decision to leave Simon and Tomas in the care of strangers on the roof of the hotel. After hours traipsing through hospitals full of the wounded, the dying and the bereaved, Quique could hardly believe his eyes when he found his wife and Lucas.
Where was the Bennett family when the tsunami hit?
The family was on vacation in Thailand when the tsunami struck. In 2004, the Belón-Álvarez family traveled to Orchid Resort Hotel in Khao Lak, Thailand for the Christmas holidays. At the time, they were living in Japan for Álvarez’s job—just like the Bennetts in The Impossible.