A veteran in journalism and famous war reporter from England Michael Nicholson passed away at the age of 79. He has been working as a journalist for over 50 years, and he reported from all war zones from the Gulf War, the besieged Sarajevo, to the invasion in Iraq. He is also known for adopting an orphan from Sarajevo – little girl Nataša.
“Michael Nicholson was the best television journalist of his generation,” said the former director of News at 10, Trevor McDonald.
His colleagues said that he dedicated his life to brightening up the places where the darkest stories happen. That is what he did during the siege of Sarajevo. He came in 1992 and he made one of the most powerful stories about 200 orphans who were living in a building which was constantly targeted by bombs. Four of them were already killed. He begged the world authorities to evacuate the children.
Nicholson risked and smuggled Nataša into the Great Britain. She was a nine-year-old girl at the time, whose mother abandoned her. He submitted papers to the immigrations office and entered a fierce fight with BiH authorities, but eventually he managed to adopt her. He published his experiences in the book “Nataša’s Story”, which inspired the film by Michael Winterbottom “Welcome to Sarajevo” from 1997. Nataša is now a doctor of sport sciences.
“He has always been a highly appreciated colleague and a person who the entire world admired. His death is a terrible strike for us, but we will always cherish his enormous love toward life. We still have his work, as a priceless heritage,” stated the team of ITV News, where Nicholson worked.
Nicholson left behind his wife Diana, adopted daughter Nataša, daughter Ana whom he adopted from Brazil, and sons Thomas and William.
(Source: klix.ba)
