Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor embraced by Obama, dies at 88

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Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor embraced by Obama, dies at 88

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Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor embraced by Obama, dies at 88

Credited from: LATIMES

Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima bomb survivor, died at 88 in a Hiroshima hospital.
Mori was embraced by President Obama during his historic 2016 visit.
He dedicated decades to researching American POWs killed in the bombing.

Shigeaki Mori, an important figure in the history of Hiroshima and an atomic bomb survivor, has died at 88, according to Reuters, CBS News, and LA Times. Born in 1937, Mori was just eight years old when he survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, located less than two miles from the explosion's epicenter.

Following the bombing, Mori dedicated much of his life to uncovering the stories of victims, including American prisoners of war who were killed. His research revealed that these POWs were among the casualties of the bomb, a fact that had remained largely unknown. Over more than 40 years of research, he connected with the bereaved families of the deceased American service members, explaining their deaths through letters, according to Reuters and LA Times.

Mori's published works include "The Secret of the American POWs Killed by the Atomic Bomb," which won him the Kikuchi Kan Prize, illustrating his profound commitment to humanizing the victims of war. He was also recognized by President Obama during his visit to Hiroshima, where they shared a moment of connection that symbolized peace, according to CBS News and LA Times.