Girl Orphaned by Tsunami in Phuket Hospital

Netlore Archive: Emailed image of a young girl in Phuket Hospital, a victim of the Indian Ocean tsunami whose parents are still missing

Description: Email flier
Circulating since: Jan. 2005
Status: True / Outdated

Email example contributed by Mark E., 21 June 2005:

Subject: FW: Do You Recognize This Girl? Tsunami Survivor Do you recognize this girl? Click to Enlarge This little girl is at the Phuket Hospital in Thailand. She does not remember her own name or anything! She has lost her parents. She must be of Western origin. She was a victim when she got caught in the tidal wave disaster in Phuket, Thailand and nobody knows who she is, so we are hoping if we distribute this email around the world someone will know her. Please don't break the chain,your contribution could be the one that solves this little girls problem. Please forward this to all your contacts. Someone might realize who she is.

Email example contributed by Nina R., 12 January 2005:

Subject: Fw: I: IMPORTANTISSIMO FAR GIRARE CATASTROFE SUD EST ASIATICO RICEVO E INOLTRO! LA BIMBA SI TROVA NELL'OSPEDALE DI PHUKET, HA PERSO I GENITORI, E NON RICORDA NIENTE NEANCHE LA NAZIONALITA' E PROBABILMENTE NON PARLA PER >!; LO SHOCK FATE GIRARE LA MAIL FORSE QUALCUNO LA RICONOSCE!!!!!! IMPORTANT! SHE IS AT THE PHUKET HOSPITAL. SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING. SHE LOST HER PARENTS. PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-MAIL, SOMEONE MIGHT REALIZE WHO SHE IS. THANK YOU. attention! c'est important! Cette jeune fille se trouve à l'hopital de phuket. elle a perdu ses parents, elle ne se rappelle rien: ni son nom, ni sa nationalité. s'il vous plait, tournez cette e-mail à vos amis...c'est possible que quelqu'un la reconnait. merci. Click to Enlarge

Comments: True, though outdated. The subject of these alerts was identified as Sophia Michl, age 10, of Germany, and returned to her homeland soon after the photo above was posted on the Web site of Phuket International Hospital and circulated via forwarded email in January 2005.

Sophia had been brought to Phuket Hospital after becoming separated from her parents when the Indian Ocean tsunami struck the Thai island last December 26. She was identified by a co-worker of her father's who saw her picture on the Internet. Unfortunately, her parents were never found.

Sophia's story is similar to that of another child potentially orphaned by the tsunami, 2-year-old Hannes Bergstroem of Sweden, who was identified by a relative after his image was posted on the same Website. He has been reunited with his father, though his mother is still listed among those missing.

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Sources and further reading:

Orphaned Tsunami Kids Return Home
Der Spiegel, 31 December 2004

The Net Recovers Toddler Believed Lost
The Age, 30 December 2004

Last updated: 06/22/04

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