Rod Nordland, a legendary war correspondent whose career spanned four decades and most of the world’s major conflicts, passed away on Wednesday, June 19, 2025, at his Manhattan home. He was 75. The cause was glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, according to his wife, Leila Segal.
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Nordland’s reporting earned him wide acclaim for spotlighting the lives of vulnerable populations in the world’s most dangerous regions — from Southeast Asia to the Middle East. In his final years, he turned the lens on himself, documenting his terminal illness with the same clarity and courage that marked his foreign reporting.
A Life on the Front Lines of Global Conflict
Rod Nordland joined The New York Times in 2009 after years of war coverage for outlets including Newsweek and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and numerous other conflict zones. Known for his unflinching storytelling, he brought to light the human toll of war, often at great personal risk.
He began his overseas reporting career in 1979, when The Philadelphia Inquirer sent him to Southeast Asia. For the next 40 years, he remained abroad, immersing himself in the lives of the people he covered — only returning to the U.S. when illness made it necessary.
A Reporter Who Turned the Camera Inward
In 2019, shortly after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, Nordland wrote a searingly honest piece for The New York Times reflecting on his life, legacy, and looming mortality. That essay later evolved into his memoir, “Waiting for the Monsoon,” published in 2024.
The memoir explored his transition from fearless war reporter to patient confronting death — offering readers an intimate glimpse of a journalist grappling with his own vulnerability after a lifetime of documenting others’.
A Gritty Voice Shaped by a Difficult Past
Nordland’s hard-nosed approach to journalism was rooted in a troubled upbringing and a drive to carve his own path. As he described in his memoir, he came from an era when journalism was more blue-collar than Ivy League, and he proudly wore that identity throughout his career.
His fearless reporting was as much about exposing injustice as it was about understanding humanity — especially among those affected by war, poverty, and political chaos.
A Lasting Legacy in Journalism and Literature
Rod Nordland’s dedication to frontline reporting earned him respect across the journalism world. His legacy is not only preserved in the hundreds of stories he filed from war-torn regions but also in his powerful final act of turning his own story into a lesson in courage, vulnerability, and reflection.
He is survived by his wife, Leila Segal, and leaves behind a generation of journalists inspired by his work.
Conclusion: Remembering Rod Nordland’s Voice and Vision
Rod Nordland wasn’t just a war correspondent — he was a truth-seeker, a witness, and ultimately, a storyteller of his own humanity. His work helped shape how the world understood war, and his final writings offered solace and solidarity to those facing terminal illness. His death marks the end of an era in journalism, but his words and courage endure.