| Beautiful Hearts |
|
|
Petra's Infinite Heart Collectionintroduced at Fortunoff's (681 Fifth Ave., 212-758-6660)fortunoff.com happyheartsfund.org/news.htm  Petra Nemcova posing with her "Infinite Heart Collection" jewelry line  Nemcova signed autographs for the adoring fans  The stunning Nemcova made the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 2003 Nemcova had established herself as one of the recent generation of elite supermodels, notching in her belt the highmarks of supermodeldom--inclusion in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue (making the cover in 2003)--and becoming a Victoria's Secret Catalog regular. The stunning brunette was even one of the judges during the 53rd annual Miss Universe competition in Quito, Ecuador. But then the 28-year-old Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover girl lost her fiancee, photographer Simon Atlee, in the devastating 2004 tsunami in Thailand, suffering major injuries herself as well. Nemcova managed to hold onto the top of a palm tree, for eight hours--breaking her pelvis in the process--until she was rescued and airlifted to the hospital; she then spent a total of six weeks recovering. Atlee's body wasn't found until two months later. Her near-death experience brought home the impact of this international disaster. She has since appeared on Primetime with Diane Sawyer (in March 2005) and has written a book about her life called "Love Always, Petra"  detailing her experiences as a model emerging from the world of the formerly communist Czech Republic.Happy Hearts Fund ("HHF") is a charitable campaign started in 2005 by Nemcova after her miraculous survival and recovery from the tsunami. Its mission is to aid children in need who have suffered loss and hardship as a result of natural, economic, or health related disasters. HHF actively partners with charities, donors, and foundations committed to providing immediate and tangible educational, medical, and emotional support services for children. [additional research by Sherry Kuroda] |
