Vietnam’s “Napalm Woman” Completes Treatment to Heal Her Wounds 50 Years After Photo

Kim Fook was excluded from deciding his life three times. Firstly That was 50 years ago. On June 8, 1972, and When she was nine years old, she ran away crying from the pain caused by the US-dropped Napama in her village of Tran Bang in South Vietnam.. US intervention in the war between North and South Vietnam began in 1964 under President Lyndon B. Initiated by Johnson, the latter was supported by the Soviet Union; But it was Richard Nixon who ordered the escalation of the bombing. If they fall on Phuoc’s pagoda, the city is occupied by the Viet Cong Communists.

This week, half a century later, Fook completed a reconstructive laser treatment in South Miami, Florida (USA) for injuries he suffered five decades ago that will put an end to his greatest ordeal. According to her treating physician, Jill Weibel, she suffered a “9 out of 10” on the pain scale.. According to Weibel (a pioneer of this treatment to help wounded veterans and burn victims), the main reason the ‘napalm woman’ underwent this treatment was precisely this pain.

“I turned my head and saw the planes and four bombs landing. Suddenly there was fire everywhere.”Remembers the victim. Photographer Nick Wood (then 21) stumbles upon the scene as Fuq rips off his clothes and starts running scared down the path. “When I took the photo, I saw her body was badly burned and immediately wanted to help her,” Wood said. Within half an hour, she reached a hospital and threatened the doctors to treat her. With 65% of her body burned, 35% of the girl’s skin and 14 months to recover.

The second came fame. He sent several photos he took that day to The Associated Press — one of which was A Sky raider The dropping of the napalm bomb—but that epitomized the horror The Vietnam War There was one “The Napalm Girl”. For her, the photojournalist won Pulitzer 1973 and the World Press Photo of the Year. The film’s crudeness outraged the world, but also its protagonist. “To be honest, I was very shy when I was a kid,” Fook admitted. I don’t like photography at all. Why did you take it from me? It was a naked girl, ugly, shy and ran away.

The third originates from fame, which also clipped his wings. Phuc wanted to pursue medicine, but the Vietnamese government blocked it and used it as blatant anti-American propaganda. It affected my personal life a lot, said the protagonist of the photo. I couldn’t go to school. I couldn’t fulfill my dreams. So I hated her.”

Followed by tours of the planet denouncing abuse America. It was a symbol of war and the protagonist of pro-communist films and conferences.

Kim Fook is 59 years old, married for 30 years and already a grandmother. to her husband, Bui Hui Thonmet while studying at Cuba. That was the only good thing at the time: physical pain plagued her and diabetes blurred her vision. They married in 1992 and honeymooned in Moscow. On returning to the island, The plane stopped in Canada and they escaped. Political asylum and citizenship were not long in coming. They were finally freed.

It was only during a tour in 1996 Washington DC. In this he spoke to former players VietnamCreative idea Kim Fook International FoundationIts mission is to care for children affected by war.

Phuc recently spoke with EFE. “Somehow I was able to fulfill my dreams, not to heal one by one, but to tell my story and help others heal physically and emotionally.” He also mentioned the photo that caused him so much pain. “Now I say thank you. It gave me the power to change my life. Look at me: I never thought I would be a goodwill ambassador [de la Unesco] Or that Father He will accept me Rome”.

meeting with Supreme Pontiff It happened in May this year, just before 50 years since the photo was taken, and he was present. Nick Wood. When they met earlier, The Pope Francisco He called himself George Bergoglio. “He saw Photograph He immediately remembered,” said Phuc. He said to me: ‘I know you. Do you remember that we met in Buenos Aires?”.

What would Phuc say to the pilot who dropped the napalm bomb on her pagoda? “You can’t change history anymore.” “So we will try to do everything we can to promote peace,” he said.