Six months later, in August 2011, Anthony went to Syria to cover the uprising. Unable to enterlegally (he had been blacklisted after a reporting trip he made in 2005 that angered the regime), hecrossed the eastern Lebanese border into Syria sitting on a scooter behind a young smuggler. He madeit home safely a week later.

But on December 17, 2010, a young fruit vendor set himself on fire in a Tunisian village followinga dispute with the local police. The incident sparked protests that were captured on video and seen bymillions across the world. A popular rebellion soon broke out, and twenty-eight days later PresidentZine el-Abidine Ben Ali stepped down after twenty-three years in office.

When it was time for meto leave for graduate school, Anthony asked me to marry him and I said yes.

I emerged from my hiding place and saw the two men who had beenstanding right next to me moments earlier lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Raed Rafei, who was working for the Los AngelesTimes

Since neither of them spoke the other’s language, I went over to them to helpmediate