Interview with tsunami survivor Tomas Alvarez Belon | UNDRR

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
  • Meet Tomas Alvarez Belon's , who’s life changed forever on 26 December 2004, when he was caught up in the tragedy of the Indian Ocean Tsunami. He is now a passionate campaigner for disaster risk awareness and public safety. Tomas was on holiday in Thailand with his parents and his brothers Lucas and Simon when the wave hit. His family’s survival story inspired the 2012 film “The Impossible”, starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor.
    Many thanks to our colleagues at the UN News Centre in New York for interviewing Tomas when he was there for an event marking the first ever edition of World Tsunami Awareness Day, in November 2016.
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ความคิดเห็น • 157

  • @2eganja1
    @2eganja1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +158

    My favorite scene was when Thomas heard Lucas screamed out Dad, and that's when the brothers reunited! That was a tear jerker for real

  • @melissam9815
    @melissam9815 3 ปีที่แล้ว +100

    I cried like a baby the whole movie “ the impossible “

    • @lorilee698
      @lorilee698 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Same! Such a powerful movie! What a great actress!!

  • @blakeliammonzon9098
    @blakeliammonzon9098 4 ปีที่แล้ว +231

    I was crying the whole time watching this film. As a mother of 2 boys, I can feel their pain and fear.Lucky they were all safe ❤️

    • @Thecatnamedkiwi
      @Thecatnamedkiwi 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Me too I balled the whole time as well!

    • @victoriav.6462
      @victoriav.6462 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I just want to let you know that stating that you can feel their pain only because you are too, a mother, is arrogant and at best not thought thoroughly. You, indirectly, state that rest ,who are not mothers, or are not mothers of boys, won't be able to understand this pain. Believe me, we DO understand! It's human nature as opposed to not be humane. I'm sure you heard of moms who abandoned their kids/boys and so many killed them too. Will they be able to understand? Of course not.. Perhaps you understand not because you are a mom, but because you are a loving, caring person. That i will believe.

    • @jillian5582
      @jillian5582 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@victoriav.6462 Lady, get off your soap box. You know EXACTLY what she’s trying to say! Arrogant? 🙄

    • @notyouraveragejerk9861
      @notyouraveragejerk9861 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      3 boys

    • @God_3712
      @God_3712 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I cried so damn hard too

  • @Peepsyx3
    @Peepsyx3 7 ปีที่แล้ว +292

    Brave kid, turned into a good man. We're all very fortunate to be alive most of us take that for granted every day.. Very insightful.

    • @UNDRR
      @UNDRR  7 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      His testimony was very powerful at the World Tsunami Awareness Day event at the UN last November, and we look forward to working with him in the future to help save lives.

  • @stopthegop4894
    @stopthegop4894 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    This entire family is extraordinary. I am so happy that they survived and went on to do the important work they are all doing.

  • @iamred1092
    @iamred1092 3 ปีที่แล้ว +41

    How can 29 people dislike this? This is an incredible story of survival and the will to live for the entire family so how 29 people thumbs down this video is unreal to me.....soul less monsters :(

  • @daniellescremin9553
    @daniellescremin9553 3 ปีที่แล้ว +39

    what an inspiring young man... Whole family is ...

  • @CallieRaj
    @CallieRaj 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    I’ve never heard of this film until now that it’s on Netflix, it’s a great movie and a must watch!! I didn’t even realize the kid playing Lucas was Tom Holland, such an amazing actor!!

  • @wellwellwellNoni
    @wellwellwellNoni 2 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    My favorite scene ofc is when they reunited esp when Simon and Thomas spotted Lucas shouting outside the hospital
    The scene where the father is calling Brian in England and cries hard, it killed me. It is the most fascinating scene I've ever! watched

  • @tanyewest675
    @tanyewest675 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    Thanks to the people in Thailand 🇹🇭 His mom would not be able to tell her story. Would love to see where they at now and hear from the other family members. All graces due to God for keeping his entire family together. ✝️👆🏼

  • @iamsandee
    @iamsandee 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I felt all emotions watching with my sons. I dont take a second for granted.

  • @amandalowe2755
    @amandalowe2755 3 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    Omg it was so sad when locus went to help all of those ppl to find their love ones. Then when he returned back to his moms bed, she was gone 💔💔💔💔 but I am glad that he eventually reunited with his family 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

  • @mybigyear
    @mybigyear 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    This is incredible he survived

  • @boundski
    @boundski 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I truly appreciate his comments, his desire to make changes and making them public.

  • @loretta6971
    @loretta6971 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Great family! Excellent movie… I cried so much watching it. And shared it with everyone!

  • @Mamayesseniaa
    @Mamayesseniaa 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Such an amazing movie. Humanity is so important . ❤🙏🏼

  • @jMe_cj266
    @jMe_cj266 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    When Thomas and Simon reunited and they scream out loud i can't hold my tears 😢😭❤ Very Nice movie. Kudos to Tom, Naomi,the rest of the cast specially the kid name Daniel when he tap the head of Naomi and touched her arm🙏🏽😇😭♥️♥️♥️

  • @princessbylle3818
    @princessbylle3818 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I was crying the whole time watching this movie…

  • @adrianapotinteu320
    @adrianapotinteu320 5 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    Just like his mother ❤. ..

  • @abdulmajeedjal-harbi242
    @abdulmajeedjal-harbi242 5 ปีที่แล้ว +36

    If his actions was like the boy in that film that explains this guy is very very brave man and he isn't a normal person can

    • @blackvelvet1350
      @blackvelvet1350 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      This isn't the oldest Boy Lucas

    • @KontauriC07
      @KontauriC07 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Virgil Parks shhhh...ut the f up

    • @yeetrootthebeetroot3872
      @yeetrootthebeetroot3872 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Virgil Parks wtf

    • @Jaydubdubstep
      @Jaydubdubstep 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Virgil Parks you're a weirdo, and sound really dumb.

  • @31betperez
    @31betperez 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Gracias a la familia Belón por levantar conciencia. 🙏❤

  • @markuse3472
    @markuse3472 5 ปีที่แล้ว +155

    Great movie, but it would have been greater had a Spanish-named family been the actors, making it a closer representation to the actual family who's true story this is.

    • @miathermopolis3021
      @miathermopolis3021 5 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      The woman who wrote the book actually picked Naomi Watts to play her because she is her favorite actor

    • @markuse3472
      @markuse3472 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      @@miathermopolis3021 If she picked Naomi that is fine and great, but it doesn't change the fact that Spanish-named actors were not picked due to bigotry from movie-goers.

    • @miathermopolis3021
      @miathermopolis3021 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Markus E well, it at least changes that fact in this specific incident

    • @EE-kh6ey
      @EE-kh6ey 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Virgil Parks are Spanish people not white ?

    • @chachi182
      @chachi182 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      @@EE-kh6ey exactly. they were a family from spain. they are white. its not like naomi was portraying an mestizo or afro-latino family

  • @brandonwear9081
    @brandonwear9081 7 ปีที่แล้ว +159

    thats the real boy not the actor

    • @UNDRR
      @UNDRR  7 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Yes indeed, Tomas is the real guy whose boyhood story inspired the
      movie. He was a speaker at our event held last November to mark the
      first ever edition of World Tsunami Awareness Day:
      www.unisdr.org/archive/50903

  • @lordmia8237
    @lordmia8237 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    God bless you, good sir. ⛪

  • @DaBears08
    @DaBears08 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    How did he meet up with his little brother or save him after getting thrown around? Crazy story

    • @Gardenlodge4691
      @Gardenlodge4691 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      The Grace of God!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾 Somehow they both managed to cling to trees and their father found them. Truly a miracle that all 5 of them survived.

  • @abbyzain3232
    @abbyzain3232 7 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    you are blessed...

  • @kleonjan5110
    @kleonjan5110 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Just watch the movie and I really cried a lot.

  • @ariamembreno6119
    @ariamembreno6119 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    is he a doctor too?? bless his soul!

    • @adefk
      @adefk 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      his older brother is

  • @dawnwalker7366
    @dawnwalker7366 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    My god what a horrible thing 2go through an a true miracle they all found each other

  • @eunicemedeiros9319
    @eunicemedeiros9319 ปีที่แล้ว

    Chorei de ver a luta dele e o que passou para salvar a mãe e quando ele viu os irmãos o que aconteceu foi um grande milagre, Deus estava com eles a família toda se salvaram não tem outra esplicação

  • @joshuagrover795
    @joshuagrover795 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    No warning system would have helped the coastal people of Northern Sumatra for example because the coast was just too close to the epicentre of the waves, 150 miles offshore travelling about 850 km/h to have any effective their was just no time to react, add to that people were just recovering from an 8 minute earthquake. 😥

  • @hebneh
    @hebneh 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

    Interesting that he has an American accent, since his bio describes him as coming from Spain and then studying and working in Greece and Britain.

    • @checoPH
      @checoPH 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      hebneh that’s what I said, I wonder how truthful this story is. I thought Thomas was gonna talk english with a spanish accent. Or at least with a british accent.

    • @annalucy89
      @annalucy89 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @@checoPH Oh shut the fuck up! I despise assholes like you that question real life tragedies because of stupid minor things!!! Are you trying to say that the tsunami didn't even happen!? You can clearly hear when he's talking that he doesn't have a perfect American accent! He's also studying to be a doctor if that hasn't already happened and he probably works in a job where he has to talk English all the time! And why on earth would he have a British accent? He's Spanish and they lived in Japan when he was younger! Many people have thought that I have a very believable American accent even though I'm born and raised in Iceland and have never lived anywhere else! So questioning this horrible tragedy JUST BECAUSE of that small minor detail is fucking stupid and pathetic!

    • @zalsabillafaratria2108
      @zalsabillafaratria2108 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@checoPH Oh so because he has an American accent, the story wasn't truthful? Maybe he grew up surrounded by American people, maybe he studied in an American school? Don't just immediately assume things

    • @hilaryc3203
      @hilaryc3203 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      He doesn't have an American accent. I can clearly hear his Spanish accent coming through. Like many Europeans, he is a well educated polyglot and does so fluently, just like his parents. .....oh, and checoph, you're a dumbass. Read up on his family and get a reality check. The study of different languages is a priority in Europe. His parents worked in multiple countries, alongside english speakers, ...that is the norm. Just because you've got a stunted education doesn't mean others do.

    • @foreverlovesophie
      @foreverlovesophie 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@checoPH if you listen closely , he does have an accent . I was born in Central America , but studied at a private school that spoke English first and then Spanish so, people think I spent my whole life in the U.S., but I didn’t .

  • @shaunteallen5875
    @shaunteallen5875 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Awesome movie just checked it out

  • @themafia3119
    @themafia3119 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    The family was portrayed as British?

    • @ashleybenek3915
      @ashleybenek3915 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Neil Uni the woman who’s story was told (Maria) chose Naomi Watts to portray her, so i assume other choices for actors were based off of this

    • @kazoojisoo7231
      @kazoojisoo7231 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@ashleybenek3915 she (maria) also wanted the family to be seen as just another family and not just as hers since there were (obviously) lots of victims

    • @jillian5582
      @jillian5582 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      The movie never disclosed the race of the family. That is how Maria wanted it. She chose Naomi for the role and did not want their race/nationality brought up.

    • @ializarg
      @ializarg ปีที่แล้ว

      No.
      The film does not mention the nationality or origin of the leading family.
      It was a wish of the writers to give universality to the story.
      But the name "María" (in Spanish) of the protagonist is maintained.

  • @lukkyluciano
    @lukkyluciano 7 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    that's the boy from the movie?

    • @Asheth
      @Asheth 7 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      lukkyluciano that is the actual kid who survived with his family, not the actor who played him.

    • @lukkyluciano
      @lukkyluciano 7 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      yeah, obviously. I've seen the movie

    • @UNDRR
      @UNDRR  7 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Yes indeed, Tomas is the real guy whose boyhood story inspired the
      movie. He was a speaker at our event held last November to mark the
      first ever edition of World Tsunami Awareness Day:
      www.unisdr.org/archive/50903

    • @annikaluke9923
      @annikaluke9923 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes, the middle child.

    • @jillian5582
      @jillian5582 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@lukkyluciano if it’s obvious to you, why did you ask the question?

  • @sussitrvyomisma8161
    @sussitrvyomisma8161 7 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Que guapo estás nene

  • @javanalecio8940
    @javanalecio8940 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    December 26, 2004 🤍🕊️

  • @tomasalvarez7055
    @tomasalvarez7055 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    moro mäki selvisin :D

  • @honestaquatics4633
    @honestaquatics4633 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    He has an American accent. I thought he was Spanish.

    • @BicornioSPA
      @BicornioSPA 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      He is spanish.

    • @jillian5582
      @jillian5582 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Not all Spanish people have Spanish accents🙄 English is taught in Spain. Many schools in Spain speak English first and Spanish 2nd. He lived and studied in other countries that spoke English as well. I do hear a bit of a Spanish accent when he speaks

    • @itziaralonso5860
      @itziaralonso5860 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      He probably studied in a International School, they were living in Japan back in the day when the tragedy happened

  • @aasthakashyap6789
    @aasthakashyap6789 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    His jaw line could literally cut a potato....😌😌😌

    • @hilaryc3203
      @hilaryc3203 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Why would you say something like that?

    • @franziskarechberger1713
      @franziskarechberger1713 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hilary C wow you must be fun at parties🤩

    • @hilaryc3203
      @hilaryc3203 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@franziskarechberger1713 I'm fun at dinner parties, boating parties, corporate parties, family parties........but stuck in a room full of morons, not so much.

    • @jillian5582
      @jillian5582 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@hilaryc3203 the man is handsome. What’s wrong with what she said?

    • @hilaryc3203
      @hilaryc3203 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@jillian5582 How is stating that someone's jaw line would literally cut a potato equate to being handsome? She could have responded with an explanation, and didn't. In the meantime, ppl like you get all fussy over a simple. question.

  • @NGVYT
    @NGVYT 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm in school

  • @thisperson1726
    @thisperson1726 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Well spoken Reborn pointy cute face

  • @Adrian-gaspar
    @Adrian-gaspar 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Did you r momlive😨

    • @Darbdoll
      @Darbdoll 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes 🙌🏾