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| Mike O’Connor, Journalists’ Advocate, Dies at 67 | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Mike O’Connor, a longtime foreign correspondent who had worked in recent years to protect journalists in Mexico, died on Sunday in Mexico City. He was 67. | Mike O’Connor, a longtime foreign correspondent who had worked in recent years to protect journalists in Mexico, died on Sunday in Mexico City. He was 67. |
| His death was confirmed by the Committee to Protect Journalists, where he worked as the representative for Mexico. He died from a heart attack while sleeping in his apartment, said his wife, Tracy Wilkinson. | His death was confirmed by the Committee to Protect Journalists, where he worked as the representative for Mexico. He died from a heart attack while sleeping in his apartment, said his wife, Tracy Wilkinson. |
| Mr. O’Connor was an outspoken advocate for journalists in Mexico, one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a reporter in the past five years. He challenged government officials to do more to protect journalists and to prosecute their deaths in a country where such crimes often go unpunished. | Mr. O’Connor was an outspoken advocate for journalists in Mexico, one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a reporter in the past five years. He challenged government officials to do more to protect journalists and to prosecute their deaths in a country where such crimes often go unpunished. |
| He had worked in Central America, the former Yugoslavia and Israel for National Public Radio, The New York Times and other organizations. | He had worked in Central America, the former Yugoslavia and Israel for National Public Radio, The New York Times and other organizations. |
| His death leaves a void in the campaign for Mexican journalists’ safety, said Javier Garza Ramos, a former editor of the Mexican newspaper El Siglo de Torreón, which was attacked in 2011 when gunmen fired shots at the newspaper’s building and set a car on fire. | His death leaves a void in the campaign for Mexican journalists’ safety, said Javier Garza Ramos, a former editor of the Mexican newspaper El Siglo de Torreón, which was attacked in 2011 when gunmen fired shots at the newspaper’s building and set a car on fire. |
| “Mike’s presence was essential during a crisis,” Mr. Garza Ramos said in a Committee to Protect Journalists blog post. “In the rush to take protective measures, Mike’s phone calls, several times a day, were not only a reminder that we were not alone, but a guide amid confusion.” | “Mike’s presence was essential during a crisis,” Mr. Garza Ramos said in a Committee to Protect Journalists blog post. “In the rush to take protective measures, Mike’s phone calls, several times a day, were not only a reminder that we were not alone, but a guide amid confusion.” |
| Mr. O’Connor was born in Germany on Feb. 8, 1946. His father directed a large refugee camp there after World War II. | Mr. O’Connor was born in Germany on Feb. 8, 1946. His father directed a large refugee camp there after World War II. |
| In his 2007 memoir, “Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run,” Mr. O’Connor discussed his unusual upbringing in Texas and Mexico. His parents, he wrote, sometimes made the family flee home on short notice without explanation. | In his 2007 memoir, “Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run,” Mr. O’Connor discussed his unusual upbringing in Texas and Mexico. His parents, he wrote, sometimes made the family flee home on short notice without explanation. |
| Mr. O’Connor began working for CBS News in 1983. He then covered Central America for National Public Radio and reported from Central America and Yugoslavia for The New York Times. He later returned to NPR, where he reported from Israel and the Palestinian territories. | Mr. O’Connor began working for CBS News in 1983. He then covered Central America for National Public Radio and reported from Central America and Yugoslavia for The New York Times. He later returned to NPR, where he reported from Israel and the Palestinian territories. |
| In 2009, he began working for the Committee to Protect Journalists in Mexico, where the group has reported at least 29 journalists have been killed since 1992. Mr. O’Connor investigated the disappearance and killings of several journalists and pushed the Mexican government in May to adopt a constitutional amendment giving it more authority to prosecute crimes against news organizations. | In 2009, he began working for the Committee to Protect Journalists in Mexico, where the group has reported at least 29 journalists have been killed since 1992. Mr. O’Connor investigated the disappearance and killings of several journalists and pushed the Mexican government in May to adopt a constitutional amendment giving it more authority to prosecute crimes against news organizations. |
| Mr. O’Connor is survived by Ms. Wilkinson, The Los Angeles Times’s Mexico bureau chief, as well as two sons, Sean and Gabriel; two sisters, Mary and Fiona O’Connor; two half-brothers, Terry and Jack O’Connor; and two granddaughters. | Mr. O’Connor is survived by Ms. Wilkinson, The Los Angeles Times’s Mexico bureau chief, as well as two sons, Sean and Gabriel; two sisters, Mary and Fiona O’Connor; two half-brothers, Terry and Jack O’Connor; and two granddaughters. |
Randal C. Archibold contributed reporting from Mexico City. | Randal C. Archibold contributed reporting from Mexico City. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: January 1, 2014 | Correction: January 1, 2014 |
An earlier version of this obituary misstated the year Mr. O’Connor’s book “Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run” was published. It was 2007, not 2009. | An earlier version of this obituary misstated the year Mr. O’Connor’s book “Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run” was published. It was 2007, not 2009. |