Hideaki Akaiwa

Hideaki Akaiwa (born c. 1968 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, Japan) is recognized as a hero for his actions in the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Hideaki Akaiwa
Bornc. 1968
Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, Japan

Akaiwa was at work when the earthquake struck at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, and rushed home to find his neighborhood flooded with up to 10 feet of water.[1] Akaiwa retrieved a wetsuit, waded his way through the debris and underwater hazards, and reached his house, from which he rescued his wife of two decades on March 12, the following day.[2]

With his mother still unaccounted for, Akaiwa repeatedly searched for her at City Hall and nearby evacuation centers. He waded through neck-deep water, searching the neighborhood where she had last been seen. Finally, on March 15, he found her on the second floor of a flooded house where she had been waiting for help for four days.

After rescuing his wife and mother he continued to look for more survivors a week after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Ishinomaki, for which he was a subject of international press attention[1][2][3] and was profiled at the popular website "Badass of the Week" on March 18, 2011.[4]

References
  1. Magnier, Mark (March 17, 2011). "For one quake survivor, self-help in the face of seeming helplessness". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  2. Westhead, Rick (March 17, 2011). "The Star in Japan: Hideaki Akaiwa must 'keep looking'". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  3. Szalavitz, Maia (March 23, 2011). "Altruism in Action: Japanese Surfer Hero Rescues His Wife, Mother and Others". Time. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  4. Thompson, Ben. "Hideaki Akaiwa". Retrieved 2 September 2012.


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