I know what you were thinking: What a silly way to die. What a silly, selfish, ridiculous mistake to have made. Don’t think that, brother. You had a very specific vision for your work and for your life, and that vision included your death. It didn’t have to, but that’s how it turned out. I’m so sorry, Tim.

Maybe Misrata wasn’t worth dying for—surely that thought must have crossed your mind in those last moments—but what about all the Misratas of the world? What about Liberia and Darfur and Sri Lanka and all those terrible, ugly stories that you brought such humanity to? That you helped bring the world’s attention to?

via Sebastian Junger Remembers Tim Hetherington – Vanity Fair.

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3 Comments

  1. Very well spoken words. The entire write-up is excellent and really painted a picture for me. So sorry for your loss. Prayers are with you.

  2. Tim’s death is saddening. I had contemplated going to Iraq and Afghanistan to do a documentary last year. I know that part of the reason I haven’t is that I thought it selfish of me to put my life at risk in a war zone. I am glad there are those like Tim able to look past the risk and selfishness to see the story and pursue it.
    I pray Tim’s family is blessed by God with peace and comfort. He will be missed.

  3. Too brave, too tragic, too beautiful, too painful.
    It’s amazing people live lives like this and die such (heroic) deaths.

    Hope Tim found peace and hope his family & friends do too.


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