Margaret Moth: The story of a fearless reporter

Journalist and camerawoman Margaret Moth is an amazing woman. No doubt. No argument. And definitely no fear.

She stands out in a profession populated with rebels and risk takers for her devotion to her work, her complete and utter fearlessness, and her strength of character--even, maybe even especially, in the face of death. She doesn't consider herself a heroine. But many others do.

Legendary news correspondent Christiane Amanpour says in a September 2009 three-part CNN documentary that she felt quite intimidated by the “larger than life” Moth before she met her in Sarajevo in the early 1990s.

Moth, says Amanpour, was extraordinary in how she looked, dressed and behaved in those early days. Describing how Moth, who wore black almost exclusively, behaved in the field, Amanpour says:

“You know what? She sleeps with her dark combats boots on…”

In the compelling three-part CNN documentary one colleague after another describes Moth’s incredibly brave (some might say foolish), behavior in the midst of conflict and war, where she did whatever it took to film what was happening ‘up close and personal,’ often with complete disregard for her own safety.

The documentary celebrates an amazing life that is about to come to an inglorious end: Moth, we find out in the final segment of the video tribute, was diagnosed with terminal cancer two years ago, and went into hospice in September.

Sadly, she may already have died as I write this. Despite repeated online searches, I’ve been unable to unearth any more information than that which is contained in the 30-minute CNN piece. No updates on her final fight, no additional insights into her incredible life.

I would love to know much more about her: What fuelled her passion for journalism? How did she feel about the violence she so devotedly reported? Was there a moment, an instant, when she felt afraid? Did she walk mostly alone in life? Did her brash behaviour in the world’s battlefields ever endanger the lives of colleagues with whom she worked?

These questions might remain forever unanswered. That’s our loss.

I suspect Margaret Moth would want to be remembered as nothing more than a journalist who loved her work, and as a woman who lived life fully. But to me she is an amazing woman, a heroine who entered battlegrounds not to fight, but to report the reality of war.

She makes it clear in the documentary that she has no regrets, and that she’s ready to depart this life just as she lived it: fearlessly.

Read more about Margaret Moth's story here: www.amazingwomenrock.com/myblog/the-margaret-moth-story-fearless-or-a-heroine-just-walked-into-my-life.html

See the three-part CNN documentary on her life here: www.amazingwomenrock.com/role-models/margaret-moth-journalist/camerawoman.html