We all recall the publicity about Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model Petra Nemcova surviving the Asian tsunami disaster. Nemcova told the New York Daily News that she stayed afloat by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours, despite a broken pelvis and internal injuries.

More on the story from sports illustrated.

Nemcova, here on the 2003 Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover, and her boyfriend, British photographer Simon Atlee, had been vacationing in Phuket when the waves swept over them Sunday.

Other stories of survivors from previous tsunamis:

china daily,
29 Dec 2004,
Miracle girl survives tsunami on a door

Meghan Rajshekhar, 13, disappeared along with 77 other people when the giant tsunami struck an Indian air force base by the sea on the remote Car Nicobar island. Locals found her walking in a daze along the beach on Tuesday after clinging to a door on the stormy seas for two days, the Hindustan Times reported Wednesday."

taipei times,
30 Dec 2004,
Taiwanese girl survives tsunami in coconut tree

A TV-grab shows six-year-old Yeh Chia-ni recounting her experience of surviving a tsunami in Phuket, Thailand. Six-year-old Taiwanese girl survived the killer tsunami that battered Thailand after landing in a coconut tree that prevented her from being washed away, local TV reports said.

What may be unknown to many in regard to the most recent tsunami is a report that an American woman who worked at one of the local clubs on the Island managed to survive without any debris or flotation devices for days not just hours.

To find out how this was accomplished I tracked her down and asked Crystal Lapdance, pictured here, how she was able to float for so long, but she was as baffled as Island officials.

Here is a more recent photo of Petra Nemcova. To see a gallery of her photos and some gossip and stories click on photo.

For my Gallery on Petra click here.

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