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Report: Petra Nemcova considered quitting "DWTS" to aid Japan victims
Petra Nemcova arrives at the 19th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar viewing party on Feb. 27, 2011, in West Hollywood, Calif.
(Credit: Getty)(CBS) Petra Nemcova was reportedly so distraught by the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan that she nearly left "Dancing with the Stars" to aid victims of the disaster.
Sources told the New York Post that the model, who is a survivor of the deadly 2004 tsunami, has been having trouble focusing on the show.
Pictures: Petra Nemcova
Pictures: "DWTS" Season 12
"When I looked at those videos, it's very hard to look at them," she told "Access Hollywood" on Friday. What's the hard part [for me, is] seeing... people trying to escape in their cars and knowing that this can be prevented."
Nemcova was in Thailand when the 2004 tsunami struck. She spent eight hours clinging to a palm tree with a shattered pelvis. Her boyfriend, photographer Simon Atlee, was swept away by the current and died in the disaster.
The model, who is now engaged to British actor Jamie Belmer, described the ordeal on "Good Morning America" on Monday.
"The power is so enormous, you feel powerless, you can't do anything," Nemcova explained. "The more you fight you lose your energy, so you have to try and stay calm, but there are doors and trees crashing into you. You're trying to catch your breath but you can't, you just have to stay calm and alert."
She added, "My heart is going out to everyone in Japan because of my experience."
After surviving the 2004 disaster, she founded the Happy Hearts Fund, which aids children in the wake of natural disasters.
"Happy Hearts Fund comes in after the first responders leave because it can be up to two to 10 years until actual development can be complete in these areas, but Happy Hearts come in immediately where we rebuild schools and that's when the kids can just be normal again," she said on "GMA." "If I could ask anyone for help in Japan I'd ask them to help in the Happy Hearts Fund."
Sources told the Post that Nemcova was talked into staying on "DWTS" so she could get her message out to the show's viewers.
The 12th season of "Dancing with the Stars" premieres on March 21.
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