Phan Thi Kim Phuc Canadian of Vietnamese descent, naked girl from a famous photograph from the Vietnam War Country: Canada

Biography of Kim Phuc

Kim Phuc, a Canadian of Vietnamese descent, is the girl in the iconic photograph from the Vietnam War, running in horror along with other Vietnamese children from a napalm-inflicted fire. Although her name may not be known to most people, her photograph is recognized worldwide. The legendary image, for which photographer and 'Associated Press' correspondent Nick Ut received a Pulitzer Prize, was taken on June 8, 1972.

Born in 1963 in Trang Bang, South Vietnam, Kim Phuc found herself amidst the fleeing crowd from the napalm after a battle between North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese armies. With severe burns on her back, 9-year-old Kim was rushed to the hospital by Ut himself, who was present during the incident. In the photo, her face is contorted with pain as she removes her burning clothes. This photograph later became a symbol of protest against the Vietnam War.

Despite doctors predicting a grim outcome due to her life-threatening burns, Kim Phuc underwent 17 surgeries and managed to survive. The Vietnamese government actively used Kim as a symbol of anti-war propaganda. In 1986, she was given the opportunity to continue her education and went to study in Cuba, where she met her future husband. Together, they fled and sought political asylum in Canada. Presently, Kim Phuc resides in Ajax, Ontario with her family. She and her husband have two children.

Kim Phuc remains active in her anti-war activism, giving lectures and speeches worldwide. In 1997, the Kim Phuc Foundation was established in the United States, aiming to aid children who are victims of war. Several organizations with the same name, collectively known as 'Kim Phuc Foundation International,' were subsequently established in other locations. In 1996, while Kim was speaking at the United States Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, Vietnam War veteran John Plummer approached her and confessed that he may have been responsible for the bombings on the village. However, it was later confirmed that the napalm had indeed been dropped by the South Vietnamese air force.

In 1997, Kim Phuc became a UN Goodwill Ambassador. Her biography, titled 'The Girl in the Picture: the Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph and the Vietnam War,' was written and published by Chinese-Canadian writer Denise Chong.