Distant families rescue each other

The family that saved Dave Perry's life, with Paulette Perry (centre).

On December 29, 2004, three days after the tsunami struck Southern India, an almost indecipherable fax arrived for Dave Perry.

It read: "Dear Dave Perry, Suddenly Sunday 26-12-04 early morning powerful waves came to Mamallapuram town. And they stolen from us everything.We lost our house, fishing boats and nets and house appliances ... We keep hope on you. Maybe you will understand our problem ... "

For Mr Perry, the message was like a kick in the stomach, taking him back six weeks to the day he dived into the sea at Mamallapuram beach, southeastern India.
He was only up to his knees, the sea looked brilliant. "I got to the bottom and did a few strokes of breaststroke," he says, brow furrowed, eyes blinking, demonstrating. "And when I came up I was 100 metres from shore. I couldn't touch the bottom. I got the fright of my life."

Apart from his wife, Paulette, who was sitting on the beach and some fishermen in the distance, both sand and sea were empty.

Mr Perry, 60, reminded himself he was a good swimmer, to stay calm, and start back. "But I could make no headway at all. About every sixth wave I was taking a bit of water ... Paulette was getting smaller."

What Mr Perry hadn't known that November morning, when they found their hotel pool drained for cleaning, was that it was the end of the cyclone season and authorities had forbidden local fishermen to go out.

The fact that the beach was deserted was not unusual.

"Paulette had swam here the day before. Normally Indians don't swim, they're very, very cautious of the water," says Mr Perry.

Back on the beach, Paulette's yells prompted a French tourist to sprint to the fishing village nearby. Seconds later a man launched himself to sea on a log.

By then Mr Perry was floundering. The first thing he felt was a man grabbing him up out of the water so he was lying over the log.

"Next thing I was back on the beach."

Twenty minutes later, Mr Perry was able to walk to the hotel. They were delighted next morning, when Arun, who had defied Government orders and gone out on the log, and his Uncle Sekar, who owned the boat, arrived at the hotel. The couple met the wives, children and parents of their rescuers, were shown off round the village as "the drowned man". "And you know what they gave us?" says Mr Perry. "Fish. Marvellous, fresh fish."

A week later, as they were about to leave for New Zealand, Mr Perry made the offer he never really expected to honour: "If you ever need anything, let us know."
Back home in Henderson, the Perrys took up their lives - he as a real estate agent, she at Auckland Hospital's cardiology unit. And then, on Boxing Day, the tsunami struck. For a while the devastation in Thailand and Sri Lanka, eclipsed what had happened in less-touristy Mamallapuram, where the earthquake hit with enough force to throw up an ancient city that had been buried beneath the sea.

"We tried to contact the hotel, but there was no reply," says Dave. Then the fax, sent from another village down the coast, arrived. "We made contact by email and started sending regular payments by Visa and Western."

But the pathetic emails in reply made them want to do more. "When you almost lose your life, you want to really help," says Mr Perry. "We decided we wanted to buy a boat for them so they could start fishing again. That way, even though they're sleeping under tarpaulins, they'll be able to feed themselves."

It was Mrs Perry who suggested that they should throw a fundraising party for her husband's 61st birthday. Friends, colleagues and family were invited, 25 turned up, the rest sent donations.

And with their help the Perrys raised $5000.

"It's enough to buy an updated fishing boat, the nets - and a 10-horsepower engine," says Mr Perry. "They've never had an engine before.

"The day the boat's launched," he continues, standing up, holding his wallet in the air, "we're going to honour all the people who've helped them get back on their feet after the tragedy. "The fishermen are going to send a photo - they're naming the boat Mr David & Mrs Paulette and friends.

"And we're going to send that photo to every one of the people who contributed their money to help these people ... We are so grateful and so rich, in every way, in this country."