Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Man who lost family when jet hit house: I don't blame pilot


From CNN:


SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- A Korean immigrant who lost his wife, two children and mother-in-law when a Marine Corps jet slammed into the family's house said Tuesday he did not blame the pilot, who ejected and survived.

"Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident," a distraught Dong Yun Yoon told reporters gathered near the site of Monday's crash of an F/A-18D jet in San Diego's University City community.

"He is one of our treasures for the country," Yoon said in accented English punctuated by long pauses while he tried to maintain his composure.

"I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," said Yoon, flanked by members of San Diego's Korean community, relatives and members from the family's church. 

Authorities said four people died when the jetcrashed into the Yoon family's house while the pilot was trying to reach nearby Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Another unoccupied house also was destroyed.

Yoon named the victims as his infant daughter Rachel, who was born less than two months ago; his 15-month-old daughter Grace; his wife, Young Mi Yoon, 36; and her 60-year-old mother, Suk Im Kim, who he said had come to the United States from Korea recently to help take care of the children.

Fighting back tears, he said of his daughters: "I cannot believe that they are not here right now."

"I know there are many people who have experienced more terrible things," Yoon said. "But, please, tell me how to do it. I don't know what to do."


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

.
This is by far the saddest thing I have read in quite a while. God bless him and his family.

:(

absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
don't ever let yourself cry

over people you don't know
save your tears for yourself
.

Pastorius said...

Yes, it is sad. I was struck by the man's immense sense of perspective, which seems to be founded upon an immovable rock.

Anonymous said...

May God deliver Dong Yun Yoon a generous dose of solace, just as Dong expressed towards the pilot today. I am in awe of this broken man's composure and sincerity under these deeply painful circumstances. My heart breaks for his loss.

HRW

Anonymous said...

It was moving.

Kim Hartveld said...

What an incredibly big man he is.

Anonymous said...

Seems like most people would be too busy looking for a solid lawyer to even think about anyone else. Very classy man and he doesn't need us to hope and pray that God will help him because The Lord's face is upon such just men as him, but I'm gonna prey for him anyway.

Anonymous said...

I meant pray. I think I've been thinking about islam too much lately.