René Robert, known for his flamenco photographs, fell in the middle of the street in Paris before lying for 9 hours without anyone coming to help him
His death could have been avoided. On Tuesday January 18, photographer René Robert died of hypothermia in the streets of Paris at the age of 84, after falling on the sidewalk, reports RTL. For nine hours, he remained lying in the street of the capital, without anyone coming to help him. It was a homeless man who ended up calling the emergency services.
That evening, around 9:30 p.m., René Robert, a photographer known internationally for his flamenco photos, left his house for a walk. He then collapsed on the sidewalk, potentially unwell. Journalist Michel Mompontet, a friend of the photographer, explained “that he remained alone, on the ground, conscious, at least for the first five or six hours in one of the busiest districts of Paris, without anyone judging good to intervene”. “Unable to get up, he remained nailed to the ground in the cold for 9 hours before a homeless person called the Samu”, he continues.
“How did we come to this? »
But he was already too late. In hypothermia, he could not be revived. According to Actu Paris, the firefighters did confirm a call at 5:30 a.m. for a man “lying on the ground, with head trauma and blood”. For Michel Mompontet, “if this death can be used for something, it would be this. When a human is lying on the sidewalk, as rushed as we are, let’s check on his condition. Let’s stop for a moment”. “The street of Turbigo. Full Paris, the city of light, bars, restaurants. Humanity, so inhuman, and this question, how did we come to this? “, still wondered the journalist in an editorial dedicated to his friend on France Info.
René Robert was considered one of the greatest flamenco photographers. “He had dedicated his life to immortalizing all the greatest artists of this universe under his photographic lens […] We admired his talent as well as his human qualities. René was kindness and discretion incarnate. He was a faithful and sincere friend,” paid tribute to the Alhambra Music site, which specializes in Flamenco news.