One of My Heroes -- Dith Pran -- RIP

On March 30, 2008, Dith Pran of Cambodia passed away.

Most of you are probably wondering who Dith Pran is and I am not really surprised even though an Academy Award winning film was made about his life -- The Killing Fields.

His entry on Wikipedia starts as follows "Dith Pran (September 27, 1942 – March 30, 2008) was a Cambodian photojournalist best known as a refugee and Cambodian Genocide survivor and was the subject of the Academy Award-winning film The Killing Fields. He was portrayed in the movie by first-time actor Haing S. Ngor, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance."

During high school, one of my classes required that we focus on the world's genecide atrocities -- Cambodia's is regarded as one of the most devastating in world history.

Some say more devastating than the German Holocaust of the Jews in terms of % of population wiped out.

Dith Pran's story is amazing in that he survived the Khmer Rogue's destruction of the Cambodian people under the regime of Pol Pot.

It fascinated me then and it fascinated so much that I read everything that I could find on the genocide and became a bit of an expert in comparison to my high school friends.

I was asked to speak about the Cambodian genocide at classes throughout my high school.

Dith Pran's story meant so much to me that I researched as much as I could and even followed the history of the country for years to come.

I read a couple of weeks ago that Dith Pran had passed away and that he actually had spent much of his American life in the United States in the town a couple of miles from where I sit right now.

Dith Pran's story made me study history and I couldn't stop studying it -- so much so that I became a History major in College...

If I really examine the many reasons I have chosen the paths I have chosen, I have to give Dith Pran a lot of credit.

Rest in Peace Dith Pran and I apologize for not being able to express myself enough to give you the due that you deserve.

Please watch The Killing Fields as soon as you can.