Elephant cub saved 8-year-old girl – 12 years later she thanks the elephant

In 2004, Thailand underwent one of the worst natural disasters, a tsunami that killed almost 8,500 people.

Amber Owen was an eight-year-old girl from UK who was pending her time with her family in Phuket, Thailand.

In the seaside hotel where they stayed, she met a young elephant called Ning Nong.

Tourists loved to feed the elephant cub and ride him. Amber was not an exception.

One morning Amber and her mother Samantha went to the beach. Amber came to Ning Nong to play with him.

When she tried to get on his back, he started to act strange trying to leave the place.

The elephant looked very nervous and overwrought.

But due to his actions the girl’s life was saved.

Then, as it usually happens just before tsunamis, the water left the beach, forcing people to gather shells and fish from the sand in a hurry.

A few moments later the gigantic wave reached the beach and began to pull people haphazardly.

The only thing Amber could do was hold on to Ning Nong, who rather than throw her off, ran through the powerful current to safety.

Amber had no options but to cling to Ning Nong, who was running through strong current to a safe place.

He reached a tall wall and waited there with Amber. The girl was very frightened. So was Samantha, when she couldn’t find her daughter and the elephant.

Finaly, she saw them on the other end of the beach.

As soon as the water came down, Samantha hurried back to the hotel with Amber, expecting the second wave. When it hit, they were in safe.

Amber’s story reahced the Thai media and now has been made into a hit show and book by Mihcael Morpurgo, the man behind Warhorse.