2004 Indian Earthquake and Tsunami. I was in Malaysia 2 days before the deadly tsunami struck. Two students at my school weren't so lucky. Both of them, (6th and 8th grade, they were brothers) were killed in the tsunami along with their parents during their vacation in Thailand. The only survivor from their family was the youngest sister, only 6 years old at the time. She out ran the tsunami. My gym teacher and her family were almost killed in the same tsunami, but a local villager warned them after he saw the shoreline recede rapidly. They fled to the hotel, but the tsunami struck and they almost drowned when their hotel was flooded.
The 8th grader that was killed in the tsunami was in the same grade as my brother, and during his high school graduation, an empty seat was placed right next to where my brother was sitting. The seat had a graduation cap and diploma on it, and was meant for that 8th grader that died.
During the same year, a 5th grade girl died from heart failure after doing exercise at home.
Also in the same year, a group of North Korean defectors seeking amnesty jumped the gates at my school thinking it was the US consulate (We are an American school, so we flew the US and Chinese Flag at our entrance). We were required by law to turn the defectors in.
It was truly a fucked up year.
When I was in 6th grade, my brother's math teacher died after fighting diabetes for years.
Last year, the school's head librarian died of a heart attack. It was so fucked up because I talked to her literally 2 days before she died, and she seemed fine.
1 day before my birthday this year, a close family friend and alumni of my school killed himself by jumping off a building.
Yeah, death is never easy to cope with.
