ARKANSAS, USA — Brent Renaud and a fellow journalist were trying to cross a bridge checkpoint in Kyiv, Ukraine when Russian forces opened fire, killing Renaud.
“I’m grateful we had him here. I’m saddened by his tragic loss,” said University of Arkansas (U of A) professor Larry Foley.
Renaud spent the fall semester of 2019 at the University of Arkansas as the visiting distinguished professor for the Center for Ethics in Journalism.
“He just had grit and guts and courage that few people have. And absolutely dedicated to truth-seeking journalism,” Foley said.
Professor Foley says Renaud definitely left an impact on faculty and students during his semester at the university. He calls his death an American tragedy.
“They are out there telling people, they are showing people what’s going on and Brent Renaud should be looked at as a hero," he said. "He was there because he felt like the right thing to do."
Renaud was no stranger to covering was zones and he's filmed documentaries about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003 he was embedded with a unit of the Arkansas National Guard during their tour in Iraq, which he made into a 10-part series called "Off to War."
“He could have not, not been there. This is as big of a story as there is in the world and not being there was not an option,” said U of A Professor Raymond McCaffrey.
Professor McCaffrey is the Director for the Center of Ethics in Journalism at the University of Arkansas. He says the camera would point Renaud towards the story and that he was a great storyteller.
“To tell stories in a uniquely personal way where the storyteller is spending a great amount of energy getting out of the story. I mean Brent doesn’t show up in any of his films except in snip bits but yet he’s always there,” he said.
Renaud also covered the earthquake in Haiti, youth violence in Chicago and cartel violence in Mexico among many others.
“He was small in stature, quiet as he walked but powerful in what he did and as courageous as anyone I’ve ever known,” Foley said.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his condolences to Renaud's family and loved ones on Twitter.
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