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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Emma Nevin

Dublin journalist Pierre Zakrzewski's brothers pay tribute to 'free spirit' on RTE Claire Byrne Show

The brothers of the Irish journalist killed in Ukraine have paid tribute to him, saying he was a "free spirit".

Pierre Zakrzewski was killed along with local journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova on the outskirts of Kyiv on Monday after incoming fire hit their vehicle.

Mr Zakrzewski was raised in Dublin and attended St Conleths College in Ballsbridge.

Read more: Mam of Irish journalist killed in Ukraine pays tribute to 'dedicated' and 'brave' son

He was a well-regarded war-zone journalist who covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria and was working as a cameraman in Ukraine for Fox News.

Two of Mr Zakrzewski's brothers, Greg and Nick, paid tribute to him today on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne.

They remembered him as a "hard worker" who would never miss a family event despite being based all over the world for his job.

They said the news first broke on Monday that Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall, one of Pierre's colleagues, was seriously injured after an attack.

Then at approximately 2pm on Tuesday, the family received confirmation that Pierre's body was in a local morgue.

Pierre Zakrzewski (Twitter/TreyYingst)

They described Pierre's incredible career as a journalist and cameraman and said it was initially driven by travel.

"He had a real love for photography which then evolved into videography.

Read more: Fox News cameraman killed in Ukraine attended school in Dublin

Read more: Taoiseach 'deeply disturbed' at death of Irish Fox News cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski in Ukraine

"It was that combination of travel, photography and videography which then evolved into getting into photojournalism."

They said after college Pierre "travelled and travelled and travelled" and worked all over the world, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"If you look at his career, there's the first 10 or 12 years that are freelance and that kind of made him because he's doing stuff on his own.

"This is not a role that you go to college for. You don't interview for this. It's a role that you make for yourself.

"It's pure experience and it's a lifetime of reading up and educating yourself."

Pierre Zakrzewski (left) in Kyiv with fellow journalists (Fox News)

They discussed how their brother was brave while working but not reckless, calling him "a calculated risk taker".

The brothers also described how Pierre was "so proud" to be Irish, and when entering places of conflict he would say he was born and bred in Dublin.

Greg and Nick also said that despite Pierre's stressful and time consuming job, he would always make time for family.

"He just appeared. We were always astounded. We'd organise things in the hope that he'd be around and then suddenly out of nowhere he'd appear.

"It was just so important to him to be with family."

They said he was always quick to check in with the family "no matter what kind of war-zone he was in".

The brothers said the family are coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Fox News to bring Pierre home.

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