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New Delhi: Tsutomu Yamaguchi's life story is extraordinary. He was recognised as the only person to survive the disastrous atomic bombings in Japan. Yamaguchi raised his voice against atomic bombs and passed away at the age of 93.
Yamaguchi worked as a naval engineer for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Though he lived and worked in Nagasaki in 1945, he moved to Hiroshima for a temporary work assignment. On August 6, 1945, on his last day at Hiroshima, the unexpected happened. At around 8:15, when Yamaguchi was striding towards the shipyard, the 'little boy' exploded.
The explosion left the engineer with several injuries, such as temporary blindness and deafness, burns on the upper body and a ruptured eardrum. Despite being injured, the determined man travelled to his home in Nagasaki the next day. He reunited with his family, got his injuries treated and reported to work on August 9.
Little did he know, history would repeat. While he was busy explaining the event that took place in Hiroshima, the 'Fat Man' exploded in Nagasaki. This time, the man was inside an office building.
Once again, he survived. Though his residence was completely destroyed, his family was safe as they had escaped before the bombing.
Yamaguchi suffered from radiation-related sicknesses for years. Apart from the physical issues, the man had to deal with the trauma inflicted by the bombings.
He led a silent life for years, but later, shared his experiences with the world. He became an anti-nuclear advocate and spoke against nuclear weapons. He wrote a memoir called "Nijuuhibaku", and was also recognised by the Japanese government as the only survivor of both the atomic bombings.
He died at the age of 93 due to stomach cancer.
His life is a testament of hope.
