BY MIRABEL ODETA
Shigeaki Mori, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the man embraced by former U.S. President Barack Obama during his historic 2016 visit to the city, has died at the age of 88, according to Jiji Press.
The widely circulated image of Obama holding a tearful Mori at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park became an iconic symbol of reconciliation and the lasting human toll of nuclear warfare. That visit marked the first time a sitting U.S. president had ever set foot in Hiroshima.
Mori was only eight years old on August 6, 1945, when the atomic bomb leveled Hiroshima. The blast threw him unconscious and destroyed much of the city around him.
Decades later, Mori dedicated much of his life to locating and documenting victims who had been cremated at his school playground, ultimately identifying 12 Americans among those who died in the attack. His efforts spanned more than 30 years, preserving the memory of those lost and ensuring their stories were not forgotten.
He passed away in a hospital in Hiroshima on March 14.
Mori’s death comes as the generation of nuclear bombing survivors, known in Japan as “hibakusha,” continues to dwindle. Many of these survivors have devoted themselves to sharing the histories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only two cities in the world to experience nuclear attacks. To date, the bombings have resulted in an estimated 550,000 deaths, including those from acute radiation-related illnesses, leaving a legacy that survivors like Mori have worked tirelessly to preserve.
Original article
Comments