Life in America
At the Red Cross camp in Thailand, Pran was able to contact his old friend whom he spent years working with, Sydney Schanberg. For years, Schanberg had unsucessfully attempted to locate Pran, though he did keep in close ocntact with Pran's family who was living in America. Soon after finding out about Dith's wherabouts, Schanberg was reunited with the survivor. His family also gained back their beloved husband and father. Upon arriving in America, Pran was given a job as a photographer by the New York Times.
With his newfound freedom and resources, Pran devoted his life to helping others affected by the Khmer Rouge. He and his wife began the Dith Pran Holocaust Awareness Project, and tried to help Cambodians locate loved ones who became separated from them during the Khmer Rouge takeover. In 1984, a movie titledĀ The Killing Fields was produced, and it chronicled the Cambodian genocide and in particular Dith Pran's valient effort to survive and share his story with the world. He also published a book titledĀ Children of Cambodia's Killing Fields: Memoirs by Survivors which brought to light the real attrocities of the Khmer Rouge using accounts from Cambodians who suffered through them.
Unfortunately, in 2008, Dith Pran died due to complications with his recently diagnosed pancreatic cancer. The unbelievable story and incredible dedication of Dith Pran to bring light to the Cambodian genocide will continue to live on.