Lucky Astoria Couple Survives Tsunami

In the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in modern history, amazing survivor stories have surfaced, each recounting the resiliency of the human spirit and the goodness of man.
One such story is that of Andrew Chronis and his wife Irene Evangelou of Astoria.
The newly-married couple was honeymooning on the island of Phuket when the tsunami struck.
"That fateful morning we were supposed to go to Phi Phi Island, but decided to take a later boat," said Chronis. "I was going for coffee and my wife was packing. When it happened, I heard a crash and just saw people running in the opposite direction."
Returning to their hotel, Chronis and Evangelou were faced with confusion, fear and shock.
"It was just panic," Chronis told The Queens Courier. "We were lucky, though, because our hotel was about half a kilometer from the beach, on a hill. Still, though, the water reached that high."
Chronis witnessed people bleeding and running to higher ground in an attempt to save themselves and loved ones.
According to Chronis, when the flood waters receded, "there was nothing but debris, panic and chaos. People were afraid of aftershocks and other tsunamis, and because it had never happened there before, there was a lot of confusion."
By the following day, food supplies had dwindled, basements were flooded to the ceilings, and rescuers were hard at work pulling corpses from the wreckage of what had once been their homes, villages, and lives.
Grateful to be alive, Chronis and his wife met up with friends following the tragedy. But with phone lines down, the couple was unable to reach loved ones at home to tell them they were all right.
"It was horrible to wake up and not know if your family is dead or alive," said Eleni Chronis, 25, Andrews sister. "You watch the news, go on the Internet, but you just dont know. All we kept doing was praying."
Chronis and Evangelou left for Bangkok two days later to begin their trip home.
"We got closer after the tsunami hit," said Chronis. "We had a renewed sense of thankfulness, but we didnt get the gravity of what was going on it didnt hit us until we left [for Bangkok two days later]."
Returning to the love and safety of their families, the couple realized just how lucky they really were to have survived this life-altering and life-affirming experience.
"Afterward, you reflect and think of all your problems and realize they really dont mean anything," said Chronis. "It puts a new spin on things it changes your perspective and you know you just have to live life to the fullest."