An Italian photojournalist is crediting his Leica camera for saving his life after he was hit by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade and the camera he was holding to his eye helped to shield his face.
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On February 11, Italian photojournalist Gabriele Micalizzi was photographing a clash between Syrian Democratic Forces and the Islamic State militant group, when he was hit by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade. The sharpnel caused severe damage, leaving him with deep lesions on his face and arm (which will need surgery), blurry vision, and deafness in his left ear. Still, Micalizzi credits the Leica with saving his life, saying it shielded his face from a fatal injury (along with his helmet and bulletproof vest). He also credits the Kurdish military, Italian embassy, and American medical staff for saving his life and helping him recover. His friends report that he's now up and walking, thankfully. It's not clear at the moment if Micalizzi will return to photojournalism when he is fully recovered, but either way, we're quite thankful to see he's still alive.
Nasty!
To be fair though, not sure the camera brand is relevant. Any other solidly built camera in that position probably would have done the same job.
Most likely... But for a much lower price.