Post-tsunami, mourning mother dedicates life to helping Thai children

After Susanne Janson lost her daughters in Thailand's massive earthquake and tsunami in 2004, she shifted her grief into action. She sold her home in Sweden and moved to Thailand where she now runs a home that cares for children and families in need.

Janson's teenage daughters, Eleonor and Josefin were vacationing in the devastated Southeast Asian country with her ex-husband and his family when the tsunami hit. They all perished in the disaster.

"When I realized I wouldn't bring them back home alive, I wanted to die," Janson, 47, told CNN.

Janson had little desire to return to her advertising career. As she contemplated what to do with her life post-disaster, she read about a Thai-Swedish couple building an orphanage in Phuket for children who lost their parents in the tsunami.

In March 2005, Janson and Forssell volunteered at the orphanage. In 2006, they moved to Thailand for good and became managers of Barnhem Muang Mai. While "barnhem" is Swedish for "home for children," Janson emphasizes that the residence's mission has evolved and expanded to include helping families in need, and doesn't just reach out to disaster victims:

"We want to be a family and a home for the children and their relatives. We are not a permanent solution but, during the time they live with us, we will work to find the best individual solution for each person to help them get back to a normal life," states Barnhem's official site.

As a testament to Barnhem's determination to rebuild lives, all of the initial tsunami-victim residents have moved out.

Barnhem is currently home to 24 children, one mother and one grandmother. More than 100 children have called it home since it opened. Janson says that needs are prioritized: love, food, education.

Barnhem is set up as a home, chores and homework included. One boy, Fame, who lived in the home since 2006, recently started college. Janson found a Swedish family to sponsor his education.

Janson's daughters remain a daily part of her new life in Thailand:

"My daughters loved their life. And I wanted to show them that I would survive this. And if (I) could help my new children to love their lives, at least one good thing came out of this."