Terry Anderson, a former US journalist who endured nearly seven years of captivity at the hands of Islamist militants in Lebanon, passed away at the age of 76, according to his daughter Sulome Anderson. He died at his home in Greenwood Lake, New York.
Anderson was known as the longest-held Western hostage during the Lebanese civil war from 1975 to 1990 and became an emblematic figure of the Western hostages’ ordeal.
His daughter, born just three months after his abduction, did not specify a cause of death. Anderson, a former Marine and the ex-chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, was frequently kept in dark, dismal cells, restrained and blindfolded by his mostly Shia Muslim captors during the Hostage Crisis.
He later recounted that his Roman Catholic faith was critical to preserving his sanity and sparing his life until his release in December 1991.
Despite the severe hardships he faced, Sulome Anderson noted that her father found solace in later years and preferred to be remembered for his contributions to humanitarian causes, such as the Vietnam Children’s Fund, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and aid for homeless veterans.
A memorial service will be planned by the family in due time. He leaves behind two daughters, Sulome and Gabrielle, and his ex-wife and close confidante, Bassil.
Anderson’s kidnapping began in Beirut on March 16, 1985, when he was abducted by gunmen from a green Mercedes sedan after playing tennis.
The pro-Iran Islamic Jihad group took responsibility for the kidnapping as part of their ongoing actions against Americans, demanding the release of Shia Muslims imprisoned in Kuwait.
Throughout his captivity, Anderson faced harsh conditions, confined in cramped cells under Beirut’s damaged infrastructure, and endured significant personal loss, with both his father and brother dying of cancer.
He was reunited with his daughter Sulome only when she was six. Reflecting on his survival, Anderson credited his faith, the company of fellow captives, and sheer perseverance for helping him withstand the ordeal.
