Sadako Sasaki

Birthday January 7, 1943

Birth Sign Capricorn

Birthplace Hiroshima, Japan

DEATH DATE Oct 25, 1955 (12)

#34179 Most Popular

About

Young leukemia victim who survived the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan at the age of two. She died at age twelve as a result of radiation exposure. She later became an international symbol of the war-time destruction of innocents.

Before Fame

As an infant, she lived less than a mile away from the site of the Hiroshima bombing. She first developed symptoms of leukemia in early 1955.

Trivia

Before her death, she attempted to fold 1,000 origami cranes. According to Japanese legend, this would allow her dearest wish to be granted. Her story was the basis for the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

Family Life

She died, surrounded by her family, just three months shy of her thirteenth birthday.

Associated With

The grandson of Harry S. Truman met with her older brother in 2012 to pay his respects to Hiroshima victims and survivors.