COKE WHITWORTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Projects: Children of the Tsunami

Tara and Hamdani, both from Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province, survived the Dec. 26 disaster but lost limbs - along with their homes and siblings - when the powerful waves, laden with debris, ripped through their villages. The children arrived in the U.S. on July 19 and underwent several fittings for their prosthetic limbs at the Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia. These are images from Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005, the day Tara and Hamdani finally receive their new prosthetics after months of waiting.

  
Jeff Eichorn fastens a new prosthetic arm on Hamdani as Tara, 7, waits for her prosthetic leg to arrive.
   
Hamdani was worried about what he'd look like with his new prosthetic arm, but is overjoyed when he sees himself in the mirror for the first time with the arm.
     
  
Hamdani gives Jeff Eichorn a hug of thanks.
   
Hamdani tries to hold the hand of a very curious Tara.
   
Tara waits for the final adjustments to be made on her new prosthetic leg before putting it on for the first time.
     
  
Tara looks at herself admiringly in the mirror for the first time after trying on her new prosthetic leg.
  
With her old set of crutches leaning against the wall, Tara practices walking with her new prosthetic leg at Shriners Hospital. Tara has been dependent upon her crutches for the eight months since the Tsunami ripped through her village taking two of her siblings and her leg.
   
Tara places her teddy bear into her new prosthetic leg at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia.
     
  
Tara and Jeff Eichorn celebrate Tara's successful walk on her new prosthetic leg.