Argo envoy Ken Taylor, 81, who hid Americans during the 1979 hostage crisis dies

[tinydancer]

A true Canadian hero has passed. RIP. You were a blessing to so many.

"Ken Taylor, Canada's ambassador to Iran who sheltered Americans at his residence during the 1979 hostage crisis, has died. He was 81.

Taylor's wife, Pat, said Ken died Thursday after a two-month battle with colon cancer.

Taylor kept the Americans hidden at his residence and at the home of his deputy, John Sheardown, in Tehran for three months. Taylor facilitated their escape by arranging plane tickets and persuading the Ottawa government to issue fake passports.

He was heralded as a hero in both the U.S. and Canada for helping save the Americans in the clandestine operation.

Some of Taylor's exploits in Iran in 1979 later became the subject of the 2012 Hollywood film directed by Ben Affleck, Argo. Actor Victor Garber portrayed Taylor in the movie."


Canadian envoy who hid Americans during hostage crisis dies

 

[waltky]

Courageous Canuck!

 

[tinydancer]

I've never seen the movie Argo but I did read that the movie actually downplayed Ambassador Taylor's role. That's a pity. You have this diplomat literally risking his life to save Americans. A goofy guy but a great guy, a diplomat, caught between a rock and a hard place.

He chose the hard place to do what we called back then "to do the right thing".