Sadly, Mr. Robert Fisk died of a stroke today.
Bambi is sad. She just learned from her own sister’s tweet (journalist Roula Douglas) about the death of this 74-year-old veteran journalist for whom she has the utmost respect and a sort of attachment to. She will try to explain why in the following paragraphs.
Bambi will always remember this sad date of November 1st in the future, as it coincides with a happy day for her (celebrating the birthdays of loved ones!).
Mr. Robert Fisk has covered the Lebanese civil war since its start in 1975 until its end in 1990. If everyone knew the Middle East well, it was him!
The Lebanese civil war was ugly and devastating. Mr. Fisk could have lost his life there (or elsewhere in hot places, including Ireland if Bambi is not mistaken as well as the Middle East). He survived wars and wrote many articles and books.
Thank you for telling the tragic stories of the people of Lebanon and of the Middle East. Thanks for having loved Lebanon and Beirut the way you did. Beirut also loved you back!
Mr. Fisk earned many major British awards. Well deserved!
In addition to the Lebanese war, he covered the Iranian revolution, the Iran-Iraq war, and the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets.
Bambi read his famous Pity the Nation, Lebanon at war (short-listed for the NCR Book Award) in 1990 at the time she immigrated to Canada, three months before the end of war. She is holding it now in her hands whilst writing this post… Thank you Mr. Fisk for such an elegantly written AND moving book!!
With your death, it is as if a whole book (not just a chapter) of Bambi’s life symbolically died with you (she was less than 3 years old when war started. She was 17 when it ended; you lived in her birth capital throughout its craziest times… mind you, the current times are also ugly).
May you rest in peace, Mr. (and Dr.!) Fisk. May you memory be eternal.
May your legacy inspires newer generations of journalists, the real ones (not the so-called journalists without rigour, respect of facts/truth, and depth…).