Irish journalist Pierre Zakrzewski has been fondly remembered by his former classmates at his school in South Dublin.
His family are anxiously awaiting the return of the 55-year-old photographer’s body after he was killed in Ukraine earlier this week.
They are hoping his body will be transported to Ireland via Poland so they can place his ashes beside his deceased father Andrezj at the family burial plot.
Read more: Dublin college pays tribute to 'hardworking' former student Pierre Zakrzewski
Pierre attended St Conleth’s College in Ballsbridge and its alumni paid tribute yesterday with a touching post on the school’s website.
The homage is titled “Pierre Zakrzewski: Our Man in Kabul. Syria. Kashmir. Leopardstown. Caracas. Baghdad. Sudan. Liberia. Kyiv.”
His former classmates wrote: “St Conleth’s College is used to having ‘far-flung’ alumni... but Pierre Zakrzewski must have set the record for geographical variety during his incredible but all-too-short life and career.
“But wherever Pierre was calling from, the voice and the essential personality remained the same: warm and sincere, humble yet inspirational.
“Some people pass away and the tributes and platitudes pass away soon afterwards.
“With Pierre, it has been, and will be, quite different.”
“The testaments, the memories and the stories have just multiplied and mushroomed in the days since his passing; how could one man have touched so many lives?”
It continues: “The suffering of the victim of war and the plight of the refugee were nearly always the focus of his camera and his passion.
“Our last glimpse of Pierre was sent last Sunday from the eastern outskirts of Kyiv, mere hours before his death.
“There is no irony but only tragedy and triumph in the circumstances of Pierre’s passing: once again he was doing what he loved.”
Read more: Tragic Irish cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski saved orphaned baby in Ukraine
Read more: Dublin journalist Pierre Zakrzewski's brothers pay tribute to 'free spirit' on RTE Claire Byrne Show
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