The saying “Curiosity kills the cat” literally applies to Silva.

Tavita Robert Silva is a very lucky man. He survived two events that could have ended his young life. One happened here and the other in Savai’i.

An 8.1 submarine earthquake rocked American Samoa at exactly 6.48 on Tuesday morning, September 29, 2009. The media began to broadcast warnings of a tsunami that had been generated by the powerful underwater earthquake.

Silva who was at Lauli’i, was preparing to head to the ASCC in Mapusaga for his morning classes that were scheduled to start at 8 that fateful morning. His mom, Molia Nili Silva advised him to stay home because of the tsunami that was expected to hit American Samoa at anytime.

Silva however told his mom not to worry and drove off in his late dad, Norbert’s pickup truck.  When he passed the cemetery at Atu’u, he noticed that the seawater had receded and some of the yachts and boats that were moored around that area had touched the bottom of the harbor. He then parked his truck under the pulu tree, got out and watched the most amazing and deadly event. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. I was excited and at the same time frightened at what I was witnessing, but my curiosity overwhelmed my fear,” Silva says.

As he was standing there and looking out at the retreating water in the bay area, cars were speeding by and people were yelling at him to get away from there. “I heard them but I was more fascinated by what was happening right before my eyes than to heed to their warnings.”

Then he saw the first wave making its way inland. It hit the Fagatogo village, ASCO Motors, Tool Shop, and all around that area, but he stayed on. “I saw Pago Pago village being crushed by the wave and observed the water rushing back into the sea carrying cars, parts of houses and much debris. It was a sight I would never forget,” Silva explains softly.

Then another wave rolled his way and hit the canneries and the Marine Railway. That was when panic choked him back to reality and he jumped into his pickup truck and tried to drive uphill on an unpaved road that was nearby, but the wave was too quick for him. It swept his truck up with him inside and carried them up the hill. In his frightened state of mind, he began to kick hard on his truck’s rolled up window. He saw that his car was on top of the roof of a house and there was a tall tree standing next to it. The water was starting its fast descent as he managed to break the window of his car and made a frantic jump for the branch of the tree. As he held tight with all his might, he watched the water heading back to sea and taking his truck with it.

Silva heard people calling from further up the hill for him to come down the tree and join them.   He later found out that they owned the house and tree that saved his life. When it was safe for him to come down from the tree, Silva thanked them and said he had to find his truck and return to Lauli’i, as he was worried about his mom and family. 

He then had to negotiate his way through the rough debris that littered the main road and everywhere and was surprised when he found his truck. It was sitting on top of another car with its wheels in the air and an electric pole lay on top of it. 

Silva turned around and started walking toward Lauli’i. But he was stopped by another young man from his village who begged him to help look for his younger sister and to try and pull his mom out of their car that was leaning against the rail on the seaside.

They tried to pull the woman out but failed in their first attempt. At that time, many cannery workers were also on the road walking home. Silva said they appealed to them for help but did not find one kind hearted Samaritan among them. So they continued and finally succeeded.

The Talavalu player claimed the woman was still alive at that time. A nurse that happened to be around that area and was leaving for the LBJ tried to resuscitate her but the woman did not survive.

Silva walked all the way to Lauli’i and was relieved to find that his mom and family were safe.  He later learned that the little girl whose mom they tried to save was found dead in the water the day after.

“I thank God for saving my life and for His protection. I should have listened to my mom’s advice that morning. I could have died,” Silva sighs.

Before the tsunami incident, Silver described another life threatening accident that could have cost him his life. He said he was almost crushed to death in a traffic accident that happened in Salelologa, Savai’i. He explained that he was in a pickup truck with eight others as they drove to the wharf at Salelologa to see off a friend who was traveling to Apia on a Sunday morning. The accident occurred when they headed for home from the dock. This is Silva’s account of what transpired.

“There was a six wheel truck that was parked in the middle of the road and our driver decided to go around it. But suddenly the truck came alive and swerved on our side and hit our pickup. Our car went flying in the air and flipped three times before it rested off the road in an upside down position. 

“Those in the bed of the pickup were dumped everywhere, while the driver and I were trapped inside. I smelled gas that was gushing out of the gas tank and I urgently started kicking hard on the door at the passenger side of the pickup.

“It gradually gave way and I helped the driver out while some Salelologa villagers rushed in to help. Luckily, no one was smoking a cigarette that morning or we’d have been toasted inside the car.”

Some passengers in the pickup truck, according to Silva received serious injuries while he and others escaped with only bruises and cuts on their bodies.

Silva was at Salelologa to spend his summer school break with his mom’s family when the traffic accident occurred. “I was young at the time and it scared the hell out of me. Luckily I suffered only minor injuries,” he recalls.

“In all my summer visits, my aunt, Fiufetoa’i Vaipouli, who was the principal at the Mata Ae Vave High School in the village of Iva would enroll me at her school. She told me that she did not want to see me waste my time sitting around. That arrangement continued every summer I spent with her.” (Samoa’s educational institutions are open at the time when the territory’s schools take their summer breaks.)

“Although I was born here (American Samoa), I was raised in Salelologa during most of my juvenile life and it was there also that I learned how to play rugby,” Silva explains.

He attended Faga’itua High School in 2001 and graduated in 2005. He played soccer and volleyball there but did not take part in the Viking’s football team. In 2011, Silva was selected for the Talavalu team, as he was one of the most outstanding players from the Moli Ole Ava.

He played for American Samoa in Hawai’i, Fiji (twice), and Samoa. He is now in Hong Kong with the Talavalu team.

His dad, Norbert, from Portugal died in 2007. He is buried at his mom, Molia’s family land in Salelologa, Savai’i. “It was his wish that he be laid to rest there,” Silva says.

His mom, Molia Nili arrived from Savai’i this week to give him her support. According to Silva, who does not have a job at this time, his mom gave him some heartfelt advice.

“If you don’t work, don’t go to school, then use the talent well that God has given you to make something out of your life. Play hard, play good, and give it all you got. Good luck on your trip and competition in Hong Kong.”

Silva would like to thank his mom, his three brothers and sisters, the Paleafei family, his pastor, Rev. Gatai and his wife Talagafa Matau, his Methodist church, his village of Lauli’i and rugby club for their support, prayers and donations.

“Thank you for remembering us in your prayers and for everything that you have done to make this trip happen. We will play with the people of American Samoa in our hearts,” Silva promises.