"He was a true hero." Since rescuers Wednesday found the body of James Kim, who struck out on his own in search of help after becoming stranded with his family on a mountain road in the Oregon wilderness, messages of condolence have poured in from all over the world.
Photo text: CNET Senior Editor James Kim with his wife Kati and baby daughter./From CNET website/Yonhap
Desperate struggle
In the steep, rugged backcountry of Josephine County, Oregon, Big Windy Creek is battered by harsh gales, just like its name suggests, and lined with sheer cliffs on each side. It was in a snowdrift at the bottom of this gorge that James Kim's body was found, wearing tennis shoes and a jacket and sweater. It had been four days since he set out on foot in search of help, and 11 days since the family first ran into trouble. The spot where he was finally located was a mere 1.6 km from the spot where his family was rescued on Monday.
Oregon police involved in the search said it seemed that Kim, after heading off in an easterly direction, wandered some 13 km through the ravine, adding if he had instead gone west, he would have come out in the direction of a road. Kim would certainly have been dripping wet for a significant amount of his trek, police say. Joe Hyatt, a member of the local Swift Water Rescue Team who were following Kim’s trail said, "There were areas that we passed where the only option for us to pass through was to enter the water and physically swim. I can only describe him as an extremely motivated individual."
Out of determination to save his family, Kim fought through thick snow and treacherous terrain and swam through icy waters in his quest. "It seems superhuman to me that he was able to cover the distance he had,” said a shaken Josephine County Undersheriff Brian Anderson.
Photo text: Josephine County Undersheriff Brian Anderson breaks down and walks away from the microphones while announcing on Wednesday that the body of James Kim has been found in the Siskiyou National Forest after an intense search./AP-Yonhap
Wave of sympathy
U.S. broadcasters CNN, Fox News and ABC, which had been covering the rescue efforts live, each aired features on the story. Broadcasters showed scenes of Undersherriff Anderson breaking down in the middle of a press conference while discussing the loss.
On the homepage of CNET, where Kim worked as a senior editor, an article commemorating his life said, “Those who knew him say they aren't surprised that Kim, in the last act of his life, demonstrated the ultimate expression of devotion to his wife and daughters.” The string of condolences continued there as well. A site set up by Kim’s colleagues hoping for his safe return has also been inundated with messages of condolence. Link Here
The colleagues have launched a fundraising effort to aid the now fatherless family. In a message, they said news of Kim being found dead was devastating for all of them but thanked the rescue team for their efforts.
Family tragedy
On Nov. 17 Kim and his wife Kati (30) had gathered up their two daughters Penelope (4) and Sabine (7 months) and headed off on a Thanksgiving road trip. After visiting a friend’s house in Portland, Oregon the family headed back south along the coast towards home but got lost in a snowstorm. Kati received the terrible news while recovering in a local hospital. She had managed to keep her children warm throughout the ordeal but suffered severe frostbite of her hands and feet. The French instructor got married to Kim in 1999. Kim loved golf, but when his first daughter was born four years ago, he almost completely gave up the game just so he could spend more time with his family. Kati's father, Phil Fleming, said Kim was simply a “heroic father.”
December 8, 2006
Link to original Digital Chosun Ilbo article.
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