On August 14, 1945, Zimmer Friedman was working as a dental assistant and decided to take a walk into Times Square while on her break to see if the rumors of Japan’s surrender were really true. President Truman hadn’t yet made an official announcement, but the streets were filled with celebrations as people flooded into them.
She had just gotten into Times Square when 22-year-old Sailor George Mendonsa grabbed her and kissed her, photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt happened to be right there and took the shot which was later published in Time.
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Zimmer Friedman was taken completely by surprise said,
“I did not see him approaching, and before I know it I was in this vice grip.”
The nurse died in Virginia of pneumonia in an assisted living facility where she has lived for the past two years, her son Joshua Friedman confirmed. She was 92.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, womanista.com.
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