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| Boxing Day tsunami - 'I missed death five times' | Boxing Day tsunami - 'I missed death five times' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ducan Rigley said after the tsunami he did not want to return to Sri Lanka | Ducan Rigley said after the tsunami he did not want to return to Sri Lanka |
| A father who saved his family during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has recalled how he "missed death five times on that day". | A father who saved his family during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has recalled how he "missed death five times on that day". |
| Duncan Ridgley, from Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, had emigrated to Sri Lanka with his three children and then-wife, arriving in the country on Christmas Eve. | |
| Two days later, a series of huge waves triggered by an earthquake killed about 228,000 people in 14 countries. | Two days later, a series of huge waves triggered by an earthquake killed about 228,000 people in 14 countries. |
| He said the events that followed taught him to "live your life as you never know when it could be taken away from you". | He said the events that followed taught him to "live your life as you never know when it could be taken away from you". |
| The 60-year-old now runs a co-working and co-living business in Blackpool, Lancashire, and also in Siwa, Egypt | The 60-year-old now runs a co-working and co-living business in Blackpool, Lancashire, and also in Siwa, Egypt |
| He and his ex-wife Penelope, along with Angus, then seven, Claudia, eight, and Sasha, 11, had moved to a new home in Arugam Bay | He and his ex-wife Penelope, along with Angus, then seven, Claudia, eight, and Sasha, 11, had moved to a new home in Arugam Bay |
| "It was for a new beginning, where we thought everything was going to be great," he said. | "It was for a new beginning, where we thought everything was going to be great," he said. |
| "On 26 December, we woke up thinking finally we can chill, but by 09:00 the water started coming in, at first very slowly." | "On 26 December, we woke up thinking finally we can chill, but by 09:00 the water started coming in, at first very slowly." |
| Mr Ridgley said he still suffered from PTSD, which could be triggered when he sees a large wave | Mr Ridgley said he still suffered from PTSD, which could be triggered when he sees a large wave |
| Mr Ridgley, a former photographer for The Sun newspaper, recalled going to his Land Rover as the tsunami hit. | Mr Ridgley, a former photographer for The Sun newspaper, recalled going to his Land Rover as the tsunami hit. |
| "I was about to climb in the back, I looked to the right and there was about a 50m (164ft) crystal wall of water with cars, goats and people rapidly coming at us. | "I was about to climb in the back, I looked to the right and there was about a 50m (164ft) crystal wall of water with cars, goats and people rapidly coming at us. |
| "I got on the roof [of the Land Rover], with two of the children and Claudia was inside, in the back." | "I got on the roof [of the Land Rover], with two of the children and Claudia was inside, in the back." |
| A wave hit him and he was pulled along in a "mush of mud". | A wave hit him and he was pulled along in a "mush of mud". |
| When he surfaced, his son Angus, appeared next to him. | When he surfaced, his son Angus, appeared next to him. |
| "I held his hand and thought I will not let go, but I had no idea where my wife and other children were, as Claudia was in the Land Rover, I thought she would be dead." | "I held his hand and thought I will not let go, but I had no idea where my wife and other children were, as Claudia was in the Land Rover, I thought she would be dead." |
| Eventually he saw his wife about 30m (98ft) away in a tree. | Eventually he saw his wife about 30m (98ft) away in a tree. |
| "I screamed 'who have you got, where's Sasha?' and Claudia just appeared in my wife's arms, she said 'hey dad I'm here'." | "I screamed 'who have you got, where's Sasha?' and Claudia just appeared in my wife's arms, she said 'hey dad I'm here'." |
| An estimated 228,000 people were killed in the tsunami across 14 countries | An estimated 228,000 people were killed in the tsunami across 14 countries |
| He said the family had "no idea where Sasha was, it was the longest 10 minutes of my life". | He said the family had "no idea where Sasha was, it was the longest 10 minutes of my life". |
| "Then this guy from Denmark walked round the corner with Sasha on his shoulders." | "Then this guy from Denmark walked round the corner with Sasha on his shoulders." |
| They managed to clamber onto the roof of a nearby house before the third wave hit. | They managed to clamber onto the roof of a nearby house before the third wave hit. |
| "My focus was on saving the kids' lives - in total there were five waves. | "My focus was on saving the kids' lives - in total there were five waves. |
| "It was like going through five Viking battles in a day." | "It was like going through five Viking battles in a day." |
| He said the family eventually crossed two rivers to reach high ground on a rock. | He said the family eventually crossed two rivers to reach high ground on a rock. |
| "[It] was the happiest moment in my life as it was dry, so we knew we were not going to die that day." | "[It] was the happiest moment in my life as it was dry, so we knew we were not going to die that day." |
| The Ridgley family moved to Egypt following the 2004 disaster | The Ridgley family moved to Egypt following the 2004 disaster |
| Stephen Rhodes, a presenter of the consumer show on BBC Three Counties Radio at the time, heard about the family's struggle to get back to the UK. | Stephen Rhodes, a presenter of the consumer show on BBC Three Counties Radio at the time, heard about the family's struggle to get back to the UK. |
| They were at Colombo airport in their beach clothes with no shoes, money, passports or credit cards. | They were at Colombo airport in their beach clothes with no shoes, money, passports or credit cards. |
| "He said he would pay on his own personal credit card, if I paid him back, which I did, - about £1,200," said Mr Ridgley. | "He said he would pay on his own personal credit card, if I paid him back, which I did, - about £1,200," said Mr Ridgley. |
| "Up until that day my life was planned and organised, then everything was different. | "Up until that day my life was planned and organised, then everything was different. |
| "I still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and am affected if I see big waves." | "I still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and am affected if I see big waves." |
| The father-of-three said he had never been back. | The father-of-three said he had never been back. |
| "I would like to go with the kids at some stage, but I know it will not be easy, to trace our footsteps to see how far we got, maybe for some closure. | "I would like to go with the kids at some stage, but I know it will not be easy, to trace our footsteps to see how far we got, maybe for some closure. |
| "It was the scariest and best day, when you miss death five times in a day, you feel pretty honoured. | "It was the scariest and best day, when you miss death five times in a day, you feel pretty honoured. |
| "You've got to live your life, you never know when it could be taken away from you - far too many people live for the future." | "You've got to live your life, you never know when it could be taken away from you - far too many people live for the future." |
| If you have been affected by this story or would like support then you can find organisations which offer help and information at BBC Action Line. | If you have been affected by this story or would like support then you can find organisations which offer help and information at BBC Action Line. |
| Mr Ridgley's children now live in the UK | Mr Ridgley's children now live in the UK |
| Get in touch | Get in touch |
| Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts & Bucks? | Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts & Bucks? |
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