Violently assaulted on Saturday, while doing a report in the heart of the priority district of the Red Cross, Christian Lantenois, a 65-year-old photo-journalist, is now in intensive care at the Reims University Hospital.
To the editorial staff of the newspaper
L'Union
, where he has worked for many years, this attack is
"a real trauma"
, summarizes Sébastien Lacroix, 62, one of the editors of the newspaper who has known him "
for a long time
".
To read also: Assault of a photographer in Reims: "The attackers targeted him because he was a journalist"
Born in 1955, Christian Lantenois arrived at the Union in the mid-1980s as a freelance writer, before being hired in 1993. The journalist has always "
bathed
" in photography since he previously worked in a photo shop and then for a photographer.
In particular, he took the traditional class photos in schools, as
L'Union
relates
.
A passion, moreover, passed on to one of his sons, Édouard, a photojournalist at
Progrès
, in the Lyon region.
He's a 65-year-old teddy bear, a tough and kind guy
Mathieu Livoreil, reporter at L'Union
In writing, Christian Lantenois is described as an enthusiast, always keen to travel the roads of the Marne, the Aisne or the Ardennes.
“He loves his job.
He is a very active boy, always willing to report, cover various facts or demonstrations, ”
relates his colleague and friend Sébastien Lacroix.
“
He is a figure in the newspaper known to everyone, in the editorial staff and in the field.
He's a 65-year-old teddy bear, a tough and kind guy
, ”affectionately describes Mathieu Livoreil, 40-year-old reporter.
“I did several hundred reports with him.
I remember in particular the verdicts of assizes that we waited together in the room of the lost footsteps at 11 pm or midnight ”
, he recalls.
A big sports fan
In his daily activity, Christian Lantenois has a passion that far exceeds others: sport.
“
He has covered many matches at the Stade de Reims and also basketball matches
,” explains Sébastien Lacroix.
"
He is known on all the sports fields in the region
", continues Mathieu Livoreil.
This passion almost came to an abrupt end in September 2018, when he was going to cover a match at the Stade de Reims - his favorite team - against Paris Saint-Germain.
That day, Christian Lantenois went into cardiac arrest in front of the Parc des Princes, in Paris.
He owes his salvation only to the presence of help around the stadium.
But for him, despite this heavy accident, there was no question of "
hanging up the crampons
".
Only four months later, the photojournalist returned to the editorial staff, but only part-time on the advice of doctors.
“
It made him gripe,
” recalls Mathieu Livoreil.
"
He's a guy who doesn't want to hear about retirement,
" his two colleagues explain in unison.
It is his appetite for the field that led him to go to the Red Cross district on Saturday around 3 p.m.
He spontaneously went to the scene to accompany a young colleague, alerted to a possible brawl.
Christian Lantenois is now in critical but stable condition, explains Sébastien Lacroix.
His wife, his two children, his colleagues - but also all the journalists in France - hope to find him quickly.