A 57-year-old Tonga man with a walking disability survived Saturday’s devastating tsunami by swimming through waves for 27 hours, Tongan radio outlet Broadcom Broadcasting reports. Lisala Folau told the outlet that he was painting his house on the small island of Atata, population 60, when the tsunami hit. He climbed a tree to escape the water, but was eventually caught up in the surf as he attempted to escape. He said he has a disability that prevents him from walking well. “I just floated, bashed around by the big waves that kept coming,” he said. Buoyed in the water, Folau continued to float and swim until he finally reached the main island of Tongatapu. The five-mile swim from his home island took about 27 hours. Fellow Tongans, astonished by the feat, have deemed Folau a “Real life Aquaman.”
