Four months before his death, Louis Zamperini sat down with Tom Brokaw and Angelina Jolie to talk about “Unbroken,” the film she is making about his life.
But before they talked about the movie, Zamperini told Brokaw about the time he met Hitler. When Zamperini competed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the Nazi was impressed by his speed.
Also read: Louis Zamperini, Inspiration for the Film ‘Unbroken,’ Dead at 97
“All he said was, the boy with the fast finish,” Zamperini recalled.
Soon after, the boy joined the war against Hitler. When his bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, he survived 47 days in shark-infested waters, then was taken as a prisoner of war by the Japanese. He survived brutal abuse and became an inspirational Christian speaker, even forgiving his guards.
Zamperini died at 97 Wednesday after a long battle with pneumonia.
Watch the “Today” interview:
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