In December 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami killed at least 200,00 people across 14 countries. And Aceh, Indonesia took the hardest hit from the deadly natural disaster.
Like many other victims, the Rangkuti family was devastated when their family was broken apart. When the tsunami hit Aceh, the father known as Septi Rangkuti, put his three children on a large wooden board to prevent them from drowning, according to Newsner.
Unfortunately, two out of three children were swept away into the sea. They were his four-year-old son Arif, and seven-year-old daughter, Raudhatul.
Source: Newsner
As soon as the water subsided, Septi and his wife, Jamaliah spent over a month desperately looking for their two lost children, but to no avail.
Source: Newsner
Realising that the odds were thin, they’ve accepted their fate and focused more on rebuilding their lives with the only surviving son.
However, 10 years later after the disaster, Septi’s brother saw a familiar face in his village. Driven by his curiosity, the uncle asked around and discovered that the girl became an orphan after the tsunami.
It was said that the ocean drifted her some 80 miles (approx. 128km) away from her home. Eventually, she reached a remote island, where she was rescued by a kind-hearted fisherman. The good Samaritan took her home and she was raised by the fisherman’s mother for the following 10 years.
Suspecting that she might be Septi’s daughter, the uncle contacted Jamaliah and gave her the good news. But any celebration at that point would be premature as the girl is now using a different name and she had very few memories of life before the tsunami. Fingers crossed!
A meeting was soon set up between the anxious parents and the fisherman’s family. The moment Septi and Jamaliah met the girl, they just knew that the young girl was their daughter. Aww…
Source: Newsner
She had since shifted back to her biological parents’ home. I’m sure they have a lot of catching up to do!
But that’s not the end of the story guys. Thanks to the wide media coverage of their heart-warming reunion, Arif, who was on the same wooden plank with Raudhatul that day, was found as well.
On the day they arrived on the island, the fisherman who took Raudhatul in couldn’t afford to take care of Arif, so the poor little boy was left alone. He was homeless for a few years before another kind family took him in.
After seeing Arif’s picture on television, the couple immediately contacted his parents and allowed Arif to return to his biological family.
Source: Newsner
At last, the Rangkuti family is whole again. Let’s hope they stay that way for a very long time!
Also read: Homeless Man from Bangkok Sells Limes Just to Feed Beloved Stray Cat
