Today, journalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were killed while covering the conflict in Libya.
Hetherington, along with three other journalists, were subject to a mortar attack near the front lines of the war in the besieged city of Misrata, located in the Northwest of Libya. Journalist Guy Martin also suffered severe wounds as a result of the attack.
Another journalist, Michael Brown, suffered relatively minor injuries.
Last October, I had the chance to interview Hetherington, a world-renowned photojournalist and documentarian, at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. More recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with his colleague and friend, Sebastian Junger, novelist and co-director with Tim of the 2010 documentary “Restrepo.”
Hetherington, well-known for his work covering conflicts in places such as Liberia and Sierra Leone, continues–and will continue–to serve as both a mentor and role model for me and for many others.{sidebar id=16}
His words to me during our interview together have touched and inspired me more than I can ever describe. His drive and passion for his craft was unmistakable. He lost his life doing what he loved, and his incredible dedication to exposing the truth behind the conflict is apparent
throughout his work.
As Tim described it, “Moral indignation about the world is what drives me to do my work.”
These words sadly ring true with incredible force today. Tim Hetherington, without a doubt, gave
the ultimate sacrifice in Misurata – a place cut off by pro-Gaddafi forces – by telling what he felt
were the most important stories mankind has to tell.
Tim will always be remembered for his incredible depth of soul and sense of obligation to
recording and reporting the otherwise hidden tragedies of the world. I, along with many others,
miss him dearly, but will never forget him, or the amazing work he did. His extensive portfolio
and humble personality will live on as a testament to his incredible life and legacy.
My thoughts and prayers are with Tim’s family, his friend Sebastian Junger, and everyone else
who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. Tim, I’ll never forget you, and you’ll continue to
inspire me throughout my life. And for that, I can’t thank you enough. May you rest in peace.
Semper Fi.
For the record, 1:37 p.m. April 22, 2011: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said that Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were hit by a rocket-propelled grenade rather than mortar.
