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

[PoliticalChic]

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 jet crashed 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."

Please read more at below link.

Man who lost family when jet hit house: I don't blame pilot - CNN.com

I feel sorry for the man who lost his family and the man who accidentally killed his family.

I don't know what I would do if this happened to me. This story brought me to tears to my eyes. This happening so close to Christmas too...

 

[Lycurgus]

This is a sad tragedy for all involved. That pilot will always live with this and wonder, was there something I could have done, that I simply missed. no matter how sure the pilot might be able to be, that he/she did their best, that doubt/question will always be there because of the losses on the ground.

For the father/husband, I don't know where I would begin to try and help him. What in the world could you say or do?

I would be done if my family was lost like that.

 

[PoliticalChic]

As an immigrant, I bet it will be doubly harder. I believe he has his religion to give him some solace. I wonder if a condolence card could be sent.

 

[Caligirl]

It's really incredibly sad.

 

[random3434]

I couldn't imagine losing everyone I love all at once.

My thoughts with this man and his family.

 

[auditor0007]

This is a sad tragedy for all involved. That pilot will always live with this and wonder, was there something I could have done, that I simply missed. no matter how sure the pilot might be able to be, that he/she did their best, that doubt/question will always be there because of the losses on the ground.

For the father/husband, I don't know where I would begin to try and help him. What in the world could you say or do?

I would be done if my family was lost like that.

Losing a family member is very hard. I lost my wife to leukemia in 2002. Losing your entire family is almost incomprehensible. A year after my wife passed away, my sons two best friends along with their father were killed in a plane crash. Their mother was not with them at the time. They had gone camping in Idaho, and they were taking off to head back home. The plane went up, stalled, and came right back down.

We all went to the funeral. I have to admit, after having lost my wife, and seeing a number of other friends die over the years, this was very difficult. I don't really know how she did it, but the mother of these boys had very strong convictions about her faith, and it helped pull her through, along with great support from family and friends. She is now remarried and doing well. Every year, they have a 5k run in the name of her husband and boys to raise money for different charitable causes.

Grief is a true struggle. It's a struggle that most of us will face in our lifetime, if not once, than many times over. Although friends and family try to help us through such times, in the end, it is a personal struggle. Most find a way to pull themselves up, but there are some who never recover. Hopefully this man will find the will to pull himself through this and once again find the blessings life has to offer.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Losing a family member is very hard. I lost my wife to leukemia in 2002. Losing your entire family is almost incomprehensible. A year after my wife passed away, my sons two best friends along with their father were killed in a plane crash. Their mother was not with them at the time. They had gone camping in Idaho, and they were taking off to head back home. The plane went up, stalled, and came right back down.

We all went to the funeral. I have to admit, after having lost my wife, and seeing a number of other friends die over the years, this was very difficult. I don't really know how she did it, but the mother of these boys had very strong convictions about her faith, and it helped pull her through, along with great support from family and friends. She is now remarried and doing well. Every year, they have a 5k run in the name of her husband and boys to raise money for different charitable causes.

Grief is a true struggle. It's a struggle that most of us will face in our lifetime, if not once, than many times over. Although friends and family try to help us through such times, in the end, it is a personal struggle. Most find a way to pull themselves up, but there are some who never recover. Hopefully this man will find the will to pull himself through this and once again find the blessings life has to offer.

That was beautiful and very moving. Perhaps you words can inspire others who have suffered their own tragedies.

It is more likely that someone who has a faith and have a good support can recover from such devastation.

 

[WillowTree]

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.



the title of this piece on the Fox Headlines is "Amazing Grace"





All pilots are taught to do anything and everything in their power to avioid hitting civillians on the ground. I'm sure this pilot would have done so if he could have..


God bless Mr. Yoon,, God Bless the pilot..

 

[Andrew2382]

really sad...feel bad for him an dthe pilot. He has to live with it

 

[Chris]

God bless all involved. These F-18s fly over my house everyday. I hope they figure out why this plane went down.

 

[xsited1]

If this happened to me, I would probably bury my family, get my affairs in order and then join them. There's only such much a person can handle.

 

[dilloduck]

It's refreshing to see a victim of an accident actually grieveing as opposed to immediately lashing out with anger trying to pin the blame on someone as if that would help bring his family back. I wonder how many lawyers are encouraging him to do otherwise.

 

[WillowTree]

If this happened to me, I would probably bury my family, get my affairs in order and then join them. There's only such much a person can handle.

you cannot know what you would do,, we can handle more than we think we can!

 

[xsited1]

you cannot know what you would do,, we can handle more than we think we can!

True. It's probably good that his house was destroyed. I wouldn't be able to go back.

 

[auditor0007]

It's refreshing to see a victim of an accident actually grieveing as opposed to immediately lashing out with anger trying to pin the blame on someone as if that would help bring his family back. I wonder how many lawyers are encouraging him to do otherwise.

He'll be compensated, but it won't change anything.

 

[Againsheila]

I'm not sure I could take it as gracefully as this man. I feel for him and the pilot.

 

[Shogun]

What a horrible story.


I love the hornet.. such a sleek piece of badass.

 

[Anguille]

If this happened to me, I would probably bury my family, get my affairs in order and then join them. There's only such much a person can handle.

That's sad but true. Most people do go on though after these kinds of things. I guess it depends on the person. I would persevere. I've experienced things similar to that which somehow did not make me want to end it all. Though I would never ever look down on anyone who chose otherwise.

It's interesting that when people lose their life partner near the end of their own natural life, they often die of heart failure sometime after.

 

[Anguille]

It's refreshing to see a victim of an accident actually grieveing as opposed to immediately lashing out with anger trying to pin the blame on someone as if that would help bring his family back. I wonder how many lawyers are encouraging him to do otherwise.

It would be refreshing to read a post of yours that did not reference your bête noire.

 

[Anguille]

True. It's probably good that his house was destroyed. I wouldn't be able to go back.

Good point. But then again, now he is homeless. I hope he has friends or family to comfort him.