Lauren Tarshis, an American author, is widely known for her I Survived series, which blends historical fact with fictionalised narratives of children’sexperience ofactual disasters. This paper analysesI Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 (2013), the eighth book in the series, through a qualitative textual analysis. Ithighlightshow personal memory actsas a guiding force in moments of crisis, particularly howthe memories of the protagonist's (Ben) father help him to survive the catastrophic Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Additionally, it also focuses on the intertwined themes of survival, resilience, and the importance of family. The findings of the study reveal that personal memory actsas an anchor for psychological stability, which helps Ben to tackle the tsunami and Tohoku earthquake.