The home was built under the United States’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Permanent Housing Programme and was one of about 70 concrete homes rebuilt in the country.
Paepae, who works as a maintenance manager for the American Samoa Football Federation (FFAS) and was at its Pago Park headquarters when the wave struck, is grateful to finally have a place to call home once more.
“My family and I are very thankful for the wonderful programme from FEMA that helped rebuild our home,” he says. “We’ve been without a home for almost two years but our patience was worth the wait.”
FFAS President Iuli Alex Godinet is delighted to see one of the federation’s staff receive help as the nation still looks to get back on its feet in the wake of the devastating tsunami.
“We are all extremely happy for Paepae and his family,” President Godinet says. “They deserve this good fortune after what they went through in 2009.”
Paepae was fortunate to escape with his life on that fateful day after being caught up in the heart of the disaster.
He was the only staff member at the Pago Park facility, which is located next to the harbour in the capital town of Pago Pago, when the earthquake occurred and found himself right in the path of the deadly tsunami that swiftly followed.
Running for his life, he reached the entrance but did not have time to open the gates and had to scale the fence, including the barbed wire edging, with the wave almost upon him. As soon as his feet touched the ground on the other side, he was swept up and carried inland.
He admits he held little hope of getting through the ordeal in those moments.
“I didn’t think I was going to live at all when the wave got me,” he says. “But even with the thought in my head that I wasn’t going to survive, I still fought to live. I wasn’t going to give up.”
The wave carried him about 100 metres before it started to weaken and, while flailing about in the water, Paepae got a hand onto a banyan tree and then hung on for dear life until the water subsided.
The disaster is believed to have killed over 30 people in American Samoa and hundreds more were injured. Amazingly though, Paepae walked away with only bruises and scrapes on his arms and legs.
His wife Eseta and daughter Catherine were unharmed but Paepae received a shock when he went home and found there wasn’t much left of it.
“I didn’t know our village had also been struck by the tsunami until I got there. When I went to our home, it was gone, along with all our possessions and belongings,” he says.
“The wave had taken it down and all my family and I had were the clothes on our backs.”
As well as Eseta and Catherine, the house was also home to sisters-in-law Atua and Telesia Vae. The family lived with Eseta’s cousin in Fagasa for three months after the tsunami before moving into tents on their property provided by FEMA until a new home could be built.
“My car was in the Pago Park compound and it was destroyed by the tsunami,” Paepae says.
“But the association let me use the office vehicle to help out with my family. I am very thankful to our staff for their support, well wishes and prayers for my family and I at that time.”
Paepae became one of those who exemplified the spirit of the community, going straight back to work to lead the clean-up efforts only a week after fighting for his life.
With the assistance of FIFA’s Goal Project initiative, which aims to help national associations around the world improve their facilities, Pago Park underwent a complete transformation in the months that followed.
The rebuilding process has seen the completion of two international-sized playing fields and four changing rooms, the refurbishment of the grandstand with medical and cafe facilities, and the rehabilitation of administrative, maintenance and executive offices.
The completion of the work was celebrated during the 21st OFC Ordinary Congress, held in Pago Pago in January, with an official inauguration ceremony in the presence of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke, OFC President and FIFA Vice-President David Chung and Governor of American Samoa Togiola Tulafono.
Paepae helped oversee the work while making plans to rebuild his own place of residence. More than a year after the earthquake and tsunami struck, work on the family’s new home began and 10 months later it was complete.
With the house finished, FEMA also provided financial help to furnish it and buy a vehicle. Paepae is on the look out for his new ride and, if he has his way, it will be a pick-up truck.
Anything less will be perfectly acceptable, though. Paepae is just pleased to have a home to park the car outside and to still have his life.
For more on American Samoa football go to www.ffas.as

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