PHUKET, Thailand (22 Jan 2005) -- LIFE was looking good for Amanda Lowe. She had just landed her dream job in Singapore and was looking forward to moving into a luxury flat – complete with its own swimming pool and jacuzzi – with her boyfriend Andy Cain. But when Amanda rang her parents Brian and Jan in the Isle of Man from the Thai holiday island of Koh Phi Phi on Christmas Day, little did they realise that this would their last contact with their daughter. Amanda, 32, is now one of more than 400 British nationals still missing presumed dead following the Boxing Day tsunami. Her father Brian, 59, said: 'We fear the worst. The assumption has to be that Amanda is dead – you have to be realistic.' Mr Lowe learned of the disaster while listening to a radio bulletin. 'I texted her but the fact that she didn't ring back left us very worried because she is extremely resourceful. 'We had spoken to her on the phone on Christmas Day. They were staying on the shore where The Beach was filmed. It is very beautiful island. She had been playing golf in Phuket, about 40 miles away by boat, the day before.' Tragically, Amanda, Andy and two friends had been due to leave Phi Phi on Boxing Day after a week's vacation when the tidal wave struck. Its force destroyed their holiday beach cottage. Andy was washed out through a window and rescued by two UK policemen. He sustained serious injuries but after treatment in a Bangkok hospital, flew home to the UK last weekend. Their friends were plucked out of the sea and are now safely back in Hong Kong. It is now assumed that Amanda was unable to get out of the cottage alive. She had only been living in Singapore for a month after securing a lucrative promotion with American multi-national insurance firm AIG where she was appointed regional worksite marketing manager in charge of a multi-million pound client account covering most of South East Asia except China. A gifted, all–rounder, Amanda excelled in everything she did. She was a keen sportswoman, playing hockey, badminton, football, tennis and rugby. She also took up golf and could drive a ball over 250 yards. Her mum Jan said: 'She crammed a lot into her life. She was not the sort to sit at home doing nothing. She had a real spirit of adventure. She was talented and so natural.' Brian added: 'She was lovely and we are very proud of her. She was clever but never showed it. She was resourceful, loved the Isle of Man and never had a bad word to say about anyone.' | | Amanda Lowe and her boyfriend Andy Cain were looking forward to spending a new life together when this picture was taken during a trip to China. Just a few weeks later, the Boxing Day tsunami struck when they were on holiday in Thailand. Having moved with her family to the Isle of Man in 1976, she was educated at Rushen Primary and Castle Rushen High School. After graduating with a degree in economics from Cambridge University, she went backpacking for a year around Australia and south east Asia, during which time she went scuba diving and camping in the Outback. After her return, she joined Price Waterhouse Cooper in the Isle of Man as a chartered accountant. But her dream was to work overseas and she eventually transferred to the company's Hong Kong offices. After two years there, she decided on a career change and was persuaded by her friend Lisa to join American insurance giant AIG. After the tsunami struck, the company sent two senior managers to Phi Phi to look for both Andy and Amanda. She had met Andy in 2002 when he was visiting a friend in Hong Kong. Living thousands of miles apart, they only met up a few times a year. But in August last year, Andy decided to give up his job in the UK, rent out his house and go to live with Amanda in Hong Kong. He had only been there two months when she asked him to move to Singapore. With hope now fading that she will ever be found, Amanda's parents, together with her sisters Deborah and Breesha and brother Christopher, are now looking for closure. Brian said: 'The important thing is to be able to draw a line under this and to say 'Amanda is not coming back.' The family is now planning a memorial service for early March to commemorate Amanda's tragically short life. SOURCE - ISLE OF MAN TODAY |
