Shigeko Sasamori, a Hiroshima bomb survivor who spent her life campaigning against nuclear weapons and advocating for peace, died peacefully at the age of 92 on December 15 in California.
Shigeko Sasamori: Hiroshima Survivor and Peace Advocate Passes Away at 92
Shigeko Sasamori: Hiroshima Survivor and Peace Advocate Passes Away at 92
A beacon of hope and resilience, Sasamori dedicated her life to peace advocacy after surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Shigeko Sasamori, severely injured at just 13 years old when an atomic bomb devastated Hiroshima, passed away on December 15 in Marina del Rey, California, at the age of 92. Her son, Norman Cousins Sasamori, confirmed her death.
Throughout her life, Sasamori became a powerful voice against the horrors of nuclear war, speaking to diverse audiences including students and members of the U.S. Senate, sharing her deeply personal experiences. She told a Senate subcommittee in 1980 about her mission: “I have a mission to tell people that this should not happen again.” She emphasized the need to educate future generations about the perils of nuclear warfare, lamenting, “I fear for them.”
Sasamori’s courageous advocacy came in the wake of her traumatic experience on August 6, 1945, when she was among students tasked with clearing Hiroshima's streets for potential evacuations. In her recollections, she vividly recounted witnessing the ominous sight of the bomb descending from the sky.
Her passing follows closely on the heels of a significant recognition of efforts to abolish nuclear weapons, as the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded two months earlier to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization of atomic bomb survivors. Sasamori’s commitment to peace and her impactful work will not be forgotten, serving as a solemn reminder of the need to prevent such tragedies from recurring in the future.
Throughout her life, Sasamori became a powerful voice against the horrors of nuclear war, speaking to diverse audiences including students and members of the U.S. Senate, sharing her deeply personal experiences. She told a Senate subcommittee in 1980 about her mission: “I have a mission to tell people that this should not happen again.” She emphasized the need to educate future generations about the perils of nuclear warfare, lamenting, “I fear for them.”
Sasamori’s courageous advocacy came in the wake of her traumatic experience on August 6, 1945, when she was among students tasked with clearing Hiroshima's streets for potential evacuations. In her recollections, she vividly recounted witnessing the ominous sight of the bomb descending from the sky.
Her passing follows closely on the heels of a significant recognition of efforts to abolish nuclear weapons, as the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded two months earlier to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization of atomic bomb survivors. Sasamori’s commitment to peace and her impactful work will not be forgotten, serving as a solemn reminder of the need to prevent such tragedies from recurring in the future.
