Half a century after Kim Phuc, the iconic “Napalm Girl” photographed while fleeing a bombing during the Vietnam War, was captured crying on a highway, the 59-year-old woman remains outspoken against wars and the violence they bring.
That image, taken on June 8, 1972, helped shape public perception of the conflict and contributed to widespread antiwar sentiment in the United States. The photograph is often cited as a turning point that influenced public opinion, and in some accounts, it played a role in shifting attention away from the fighting itself.
On the 50th anniversary of the photo, Kim Phuc traveled to New York to participate in veteran war reporting with AP photographer Nick Ut, the man who took the famous shot. He later accompanied her to a hospital to treat the burns she sustained, a moment that underscored the human cost behind the images that become symbols of war.
In an interview with Efe, Phuc speaks calmly about the hardships of her youth, yet her voice breaks with emotion when she reflects on modern conflicts, especially the war in Ukraine. She states that there is no just war and condemns the loss of life and suffering that comes with every armed clash. Her message is a plea for peace and a reminder of the human stakes in every war.
Phuc’s life became the subject of a film that chronicles the injuries she endured after the napalm attack and the long medical interventions that followed. After leaving college under the pressure of political upheaval, she was steered toward a medical career, a path she was forced to abandon due to larger political forces. The narrative, once used for propaganda, has become a testimony of resilience and a call for humanitarian work in the face of conflict.
Today, Phuc is often described in rounds of interviews and public appearances that revisit the consequences of war. On a journey that has taken her from Vietnam to Cuba, Moscow, Havana, and beyond, she found asylum in Canada in the early 1990s. She traveled with her partner at the time, a Vietnamese man she met in Cuba, and the two eventually built a life together. They have been married for decades and are grandparents now, a symbol of longevity and hope after years of upheaval.
Phuc has spoken openly about the lasting effects of her injuries. She sometimes refers to her skin in vivid terms and uses her experience to advocate for survivors of war, including children who bear scars both physical and emotional. She emphasizes that her scars serve a purpose beyond pain: they remind her that she has a duty not to be a victim but to be a survivor, a mother, a wife, and a grandmother who champions peace.
She and a longtime collaborator, Nick Ut, founded a foundation dedicated to helping children who were injured or orphaned by war. The Kim Phuc Foundation carries forward a mission to assist those affected by conflict and to sponsor efforts that ease the wounded and support healing, often in partnership with other organizations and photographers who share a commitment to humanitarian work.
“I managed to make my dreams come true”
The interview unfolds on a large screen where the famous image appears magnified, reminding viewers of the moment that propelled Phuc into the public eye. She recalls her childhood dream of becoming a physician and describes how she pursued a path toward healing others, even if that journey took unexpected turns. Her aim was to help alleviate pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, and to use her story to inform and comfort others facing hardship.
The photo that once sparked controversy and anger is now understood by many as a catalyst for awareness and change. Phuc reflects on the paradox of how the image she initially found humiliating later became a symbol of resilience and a platform for global advocacy. She describes how she never anticipated such fame and acknowledges that the image changed the course of her life in ways she could not have predicted, including recognition from international figures and institutions.
Phuc does not harbor resentment toward those who caused her pain. She describes a personal journey that led her to forgiveness, a path she credits in part to her Christian faith. She remains cautious about public preaching, emphasizing that her experience is her own and that she speaks from a place of personal conviction rather than a mandate to convert others.
Her ongoing work emphasizes the power of media to reveal truth and to shape opinions. Phuc believes it is part of her responsibility to share her story and to highlight the realities of war for new generations, arguing that understanding history is essential to preventing the repetition of past tragedies.
Yet she makes one clear point: if given the chance to rewrite history, she acknowledges a desire to erase the bombing scene and instead embrace a life as a typical young girl who grew into a woman shaped by compassion rather than conflict. Her message is about choosing humanity and seeking peace, even when the past remains a constant reminder of what happened and why it matters today.