ALASSIO, Italy (voa) – The son of world-renowned Norwegian explorer and archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl says his father is near death after abandoning cancer treatment, and has set out on what he describes as a final journey in the company of his loved ones.
Thor Heyerdahl, Jr. says his 87-year-old father has returned to his retreat in Alassio, Italy after abandoning treatment for a brain tumor. He says the explorer is refusing water, food, or any medication but is not in pain.
The adventurer gained world fame in 1947 when he led a six-man, 8,000-kilometer expedition from Peru to Polynesia. The seaworthiness of the balsa log raft proved that ancient Peruvians could have migrated to Polynesia in prehistoric times. A film documenting the adventure won an Academy Award.
Earlier, he had been adopted by a supreme Polynesian chief in Tahiti. He lived a traditional way of life while doing research on the isolated island of Fatuhiva in the 1930s.
Mr. Heyerdahl’s wide-ranging archaeological studies were often controversial and challenged accepted views. His son said his father is now “in good spirits and very grateful for the life he has lived.”
