Jet Li recalls tsunami terror

IOL ^ | 01/10/05 | IOL

[Pikamax]

Jet Li recalls tsunami terror

10/01/2005 - 16:32:32

Martial arts superstar Jet Li has spoken of his terror, running from the Indian Ocean tidal wave last month.

The Hero actor was holidaying in the Maldives with his family when the tsunami hit the coast line and caused widespread death and destruction to the surrounding countries.

At a celebrity fundraiser concert in Hong Kong on Friday, Li told the audience: "The waves came really quickly and formed swirls. I carried my daughters and pulled my maid and ran.

"I'd only walked three steps when I realised that the water had already come up to my waist. When I looked back, everything I saw minutes ago was gone. Everything was surrounded by the ocean. The houses collapsed.

"I continued to run but the water was already up to my mouth."

Li and his family managed to find lifejackets in their hotel as they waited for a second round of bigger waves to hit the island.

Li has donated €120,000 to the tsunami relief fund and marks the tragic event as a defining moment in his life.

He adds: "Some things I dared not do in the past, I am ready to do them now."

[ReaganandDubyaForever]

I just used the toilet a few minutes ago, Ithink I'm a plumber!!!

[ReaganandDubyaForever]

I just used the toilet a few minutes ago, Ithink I'm a plumber!!!

[Capriole]

It's important to remember that Swayze is just an actor, so we can't expect much from him in the way of intelligence. It's like expecting my dog to discourse on Leibniz: it's best to value him because he's cute and funny and handsome, but don't expect him to understand much about adult human life. He barks, actors talk. Same thing.

That said, Swayze might have meant that as a breeder of Arabian horses he had occasion to travel back and forth to the Middle East and do business with Arabs on a frequent basis, which certainly would give him more exposure to those people and their culture than most of us on FR have had. Breeders of these exquisite horses sometimes do go back to the source to get stock for breeding. I vaguely remember reading an article about him in some publication like Arabian Horse World, and he had some extraordinary horses.