This is what patriotism looks like
A naturalized American from Korea loses his entire family in the military jet crash that wrecked his house and killed his infant daughter, toddler daughter, wife, and mother-in-law. But he refuses to blame the pilot or bash the military. Reader Mitch in San Diego e-mails: “I’m not even religious and I’ll say a prayer for this man. He has my utmost admiration. Truly an amazing gesture of forgiveness and patriotism on his part. There would be no discussion about immigration, illegal or otherwise, if this was the caliber of most coming here. Amazing.”
Keep Dong Yun Yoon in your prayers:
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.”… Yoon’s wife came to the United States about four years ago, Shin said.
Yoon spoke softly when he talked about his wife.
“It was God’s blessing that I met her about four years ago. She was a lovely wife and mother,” he said.
His voice fading, he added: “She loves me and babies. I just miss her so much.”
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My heart goes out to this man. This is what humanity looks like. What an unbelievable tragedy.
My, what a tragedy.
I pray for him, his family, and the pilot.
I wish him peace and strength.
I live in University City, heard that plane go flying over my house before it crashed. The guy is an amazing individual with enough forgiveness for a hundred men. The whole community is praying for him, all of San Diego and especially those of us in University City.
Just keep him in your thoughts, we are all mourning for him
What a patriotic individual who certainly deserves to be a citizen here in America, and could teach a thing or two about patriotism to many born here.
Somehow I bet many in the drive-by media are sorely disappointed he didn’t go the Cindy Sheehan direction.
Were my daughter not sleeping soundly, I would pick her up and squeeze her the same way my wife did the day she treated a 3-month old who had been mauled by a dog.
The sheer strength of this man, to not give in to hate and to, as it were, fall to the dark side is a strength that I can only hope to have, and pray to never need.
Amidst all of the snarling hatred we hear everyday, a wise, forgiving and understanding voice of unusual compassion. God bless you and your lost relatives sir. I pray that God will find some way to comfort you. I am a retired Naval Aviator myself and I can only say that sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, planes break and sometimes crash. I am sure that the pilot tried his best to avoid what happened, and I know that he too is feeling pretty bad about himself tonight, regardless of the circumstances.
Can you believe that? I was thinking that there should be some kind of collection made for this guy to rebuild but what he has lost can’t be replaced.
What a heartbreaking tragedy, and in its face he shows forgiveness. Dong Yun Yoon is great example for all of us. May God bless and comfort him!
I lived north of Mira Mar Marine Air Station and the F-18′s flew over every day. My son used to complain about the noise and I would remind him that those are the pilots that would get between us and and any threat to us. They can train all they want as far as I’m concerned. God Bless this man for his attitude in the face of this tragedy.
A Knight, with unintended nobility, stands upon a wall and defends his fellow Knights; who never knew him; but do know sacrafice; but not his own.
I pray now, Sir Yoon, for your family and your loss but will hold forever honor for your strength an knobility during your loss.
Absolute awe and respect.
I cannot fathom the grief this man must feel. I cannot fathom the grief the pilot must feel. The pilot is Innocent, but he will have a Sentence. Bless Dong Yun Yoon for giving him a Pardon.
This simple act of forgiveness has quite literally moved me, and it will stay with me for a long time. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to lose my wife and daughter, which makes him that much more amazing to me.
Dong Yun Yoon: The strongest man in world.
I, too, will pray for his family.
The polar opposite of a liberal. Dong Yun Yoon sets the example for all real Americans.
I’ll keep this man in my thoughts too. I’m sure that the pilot will feel grief-stricken forever over this. Apparently, the F-18 had engine failure and there was nothing the pilot could’ve done. It happens.
I wish such an act of forgiveness would shame the selfish who live in places like VA Beach and San Diego and gripe about the noise and how close military bases are to their little “pieces of heaven.” I’m sure they would be the same people who wouldn’t want a nuclear plant or refinery in their backyard either.
Bless his heart. He just doesn’t know what to do… Heartbreaking.
What would you do? The man’s family is wiped out in an instant. How can one even manage to put one foot in front of the other?
I can’t imagine even being in his place right now. He just lost his entire family in a matter of minutes. I wouldn’t know what to do either. Very tragic.
Very touching story, thanks for posting this Michelle. What a dignified and classy man. Amazing.
Prayers going up.
Wow.
I… just wow.
It breaks my heart to hear of such tragedy striking such a righteous American. He deserves so much better than this. I will pray for him and the family he lost.
It’s hard to imagine anything classier and kinder than that.
A pilots worst nightmare has occurred.
A mans worst nightmare has also occurred.
God please give them strength.
Dong Yun Yoon is one of our treasures for the country.
I wish I could take away his pain.
I weep for him.
I could not have faulted him in the slightest if he had responded only with angry, foaming vitriol directed at anyone and everyone. Not after what he’s been through. I probably would’ve reacted with pure rage.
But to read something like this… it’s deeply moving. Truly an example to us all… God see him through this.
Wow…
Can we send the air staff of MSNBC to Korea in exchange for another half-million people like this poor fellow? (They don’t have to keep ‘em; they can drown ‘em for all I care. We just need more REAL patriotic folks here.)
This man is a follower of the Christ.
This man knows more about being an American, than many who were born here.
My most heart-felt prayers to Mr. Yoon (and what’s left of his family) and the Marine pilot.
The left are SO disappointed that this poor soul isn’t drooling venom for the military. One NYC radio jock said with bated breath; “Just wait till he gets over the shock.”
Is there some way to spiritually or financially support this man? A mailing address or something?
James Greenidge
Queens, New York
I try to model my life on his sort of behavior. Even so, I do not know if I could have carried this off with his grace, decency, and class.
All I can say to him is, “This, too, shall pass. Mourn as needed then rejoin the world and help us all leave this world a little better place than it was when we arrived. You have shown this effort is worthwhile for the rest of us.”
May God bless you.
{^_^}
That is one of the most incredible public displays of grace I have witnessed.
My prayers for Mr. Yoon.
In God we trust.
I’m very, very saddened by this man’s completely unexpected loss, and deeply moved by his grace and class, and patriotism in the very, very toughest of circumstances.
It is always surprising when you find wisdom and compassion from people who are picked at random and thrust into the spotlight. You spend so much time marginalizing people you do not know and assuming the worst about them, just to get through your day. And then the fickle finger of fate points at a man and says “speak”, and you hear that man speak with more humility, wisdom and love than you could manage if you had a lifetime to prepare.
The challenge, of course, is to stop marginalizing people and assuming the worst about them. You will be disappointed by many jerks when you do this, but when a good man appears, you will be expecting him.
I am reminded of a story I read in the New York Daily news when I first moved to New York, about 20 years ago. A subway train derailed in the station under Union Square at two o’clock in the morning and eight people were killed. The day after the accident, the paper ran a box with the pictures of the eight killed, with a little biography on each one and an explaination of how they came to be on that train.
Now, I had just moved to the Big City, and I had been riding the Subway late at night to and from my job and classes. To say I lived in a hightened state of paranoia would be an understatement. I would have looked at the eight faces from that story on a subway car, all working class Black and Latino, and probably moved to another car.
Imagine my surprise when each of the eight was a hard-working New Yorker, just like me, on his or her way home from a job or a class, who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. My story would have been exactly the same, if I had been on that subway car.
It is a hard lesson to learn. It forces one to abandon the easy path of assuming the worst about people as a means of dealing with the thousands of strangers you see every day.
It is an amazing gift of faith for Mr Dong Yun Yoon to be able to forgive the pilot and ask the public to pray for the pilot in his darkest hour of grief. His faith must be very strong. I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers.
Bob,
Agree and well said.
Note to some who have posted:
There is no 4giveness to be given by this man, suggest you dust of your Bible
if you are under impression there is.
To cite the prophit ( that is a joke ) Blondie “accidents happen in the real world”…. THERE is nothing to forgive!
saying there is is saying the pilot or mechanic or whomever, did this with malice aforethought do YOU know that?
Tears.
God’s Love fills this man’s heart. He is an example from which the entire world can learn.
May God the Father Almighty rest their Souls and Comfort Dong Yun Yoon and the pilot.
This is what the grace of God looks like.
We all can learn from this man about humbleness and about trusting in God. He is in my prayers that he continues to find strength and peace to help him through this difficult time.
He is proof positive of how that God gives us real peace and comfort. It does not come from within us by anything we do for ourselves.
He is a patriot and deserves our admiration and respect for his loyalty to his country and his forgiving spirit.
Thank you, Dong Yun Yoon, for your strength, your wisdom and your faith. You have helped me to place some perspective on things in my own life.
Michelle called this one wrong. This isn’t patriotism on display, this is religion on display. In the course of a few days we have seen both extremes. First a buffoon, enabled by other buffoons, puts a sign on the Washington State Capitol building in Olympia with the purpose of belittling the belief of all Christians. Standing a sign next to a Nativity scene during Christmas season that reads;
“There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.”
is simply an act of hatred. The act is more offensive because it claims First Amendment protection to spread that message of hate.
Hate who? Dong Yun Yoon gives face to the targets of the atheist hate. Where is his hard heart and enslaved mind? Mr. Yoon’s forgiveness of the pilot involved doesn’t spring from patriotism, it comes from his belief that there is a God that can’t be fully comprehended, but whose prime message is based on love and forgiveness. Mr. Yoon’s family is evidence that he lived God’s message of love. His statements about the pilot, while sounding patriotic, are evidence that he lives God’s message of forgiveness.
For all those that belittle religion, whose is the better example to live by?
The example of atheists that put the mocking sign on the Olympia, WA Capital steps? Or the example of this simple man of faith?
The message of Christmas is a message of love and forgiveness. While a terrible tragedy, this event personifies that message in the form of Mr. Yoon. God bless him and ease his pain.
gridlock,
Well spoken. Your words have much wisdom to them. We can all learn from each other. Sadly, we conservatives receive so much unwarranted criticism and are labeled as racists and haters, when most liberals will never understand what you really said in your post. I have not been over to any of the nutroot sites, but can you imagine what the leftist kooks are posting about Mr. Dong Yun Yoon for his expressions of forgiveness and faith? I doubt we would see much compassion in their words.
God bless this man. He is truely an inspiration.
Hey Joe,
I agree with your premise except for the opening. I am not just defending Michelle, I understand her point. Think of it this way, his forgiveness of country was patriotic, as he understood why the pilot needed to be training and doing his job.
I hope that I could muster enough faith and courage to be as generous as Mr. Yoon if my family had just been killed in such a manner.
Travlinman. Agree. I am not the best writer and tried to keep my message short. Unsaid was my belief that Mr. Yoon’s patriotism is a by-product of his faith. Yes he is patriotic and an example to all, but I believe the stronger message we should take from this tragedy is his message of faith.
Well said. My sentiments exactly.
May God bless, keep and comfort, Mr. Yoon.
Prayers for Mr Yoon for comfort, strength, and peace.
Wonder what newspaper or news cast will put his story “above the fold”?
Call Mr. Yoon what you want, Patriotic or Religious or … whatever, one thing for sure is there are not many of him in this Country. Where have they all gone?
I just pray that the damm lawyers don’t wear him down looking for a lawsuit.
Dong Yun Yoon, I will pray for you and that pilot.
Your family is in Heaven now. God is watching over them for you now.
:with tear-filled eyes Soap says:
Dong Yun Yoon is one of our treasures for the country.
:weaping now:
Yahweh, bless this man for his courage. Continue to give him strength. Give peace to the piolet. Amen
I saw the news clip this morning on FoxNews.
What an unforgettable moment!
In his own grief, he understands that the pilot will be grieving, also, and asks for prayer for the pilot.
Yes, I will pray for this man (and the pilot), and I hope that he finds peace of mind as soon as possible.
God bless him. Can the leftists in this country even begin to envision the heart of this man?
I watched him this morning also…that poor man. Such a terrible tragedy. God bless and comfort him.
This just broke my heart. My prayers are with him, and I hope his friends and community support him in any way he needs.
A good man. We had a similar incident a few decades ago here in utah at hill AFB. Except in this case the pilot rode the f16 into the ground so that it wouldn’t hit civilian housing. BTW Not a hit on the f18 pilot who I am sure did all he could. We had another 2 years ago where the engine and controls on the f16 just quit and the pilot could do nothing. Luckly nobody was hurt on that on since the jet fell into the empty desert. Fly this things is dangerous and the pilots get my respect. This mans attitude after his crushing loss gets my respect as well.
This is heartbreaking. I’m in tears reading this, I don’t think I can watch the video of him on Fox, because it’ll be too upsetting.
Let this remind us that we all need to get right with God. You never know when you’ll take your last breath.
My Family is my life. Without them I would be dead inside. This man just blows me away. The loss of 2 offspring from such a man is a loss for the world. What a man! What a freakin Superman.
Pray for peace for this man and that more of our citizens could be like him.
That, my friends, is what true grace looks like.
Bless Mr. Yoon and the pilot may they both find peace.
Watched my local media, they make me sick. You could hear in their voices the shock that Mr. Yoon didn’t trash the military.
Ditto Geckomon, Auggie Dog, et. al.
Michelle, Please, please write your next op-ed on this man. And don’t forget to mention his Faith. This man is able to forgive because of his faith in God. Korea is small but its beacon of light in the far east shines bright, and this man’s testimony bears witness to what that country has become.
Amen! Heaven bless and comfort you Mr. Yoon – your loss is unimaginable and devastating.
This man has real, enduring, personal values which uplift him and everyone around him. He provides a light we can look up to, an example we can all follow. This is what true humanity looks like, without respect to race, creed, or color. American values. He humbles me.
From less then ten miles east of University City (an area of San Diego City named for UCSD’s campus right in that area) in Santee, my family’s hearts go out to this fine man also.
I was stationed at Miramar when it was still a Naval Air Station flying F-4′s, F-14′s and F-18′s. The aircraft go right over our heads also.
The interiew with this fine man was just on television and his exact words were, “I pray for this man (the pilot) that he will not suffer any heartache from this accident” ACCIDENT! He also stated that he knew the pilot was trying to steer the plane into a ravine just feet behind the house.
What a brilliant, kind and wonderfully forgiving man! We are praying for him also!
Mr. Yoon, I’ll pray for you and your family. My heart is breaking for your suffering.
You are the type of person that made America the light of the world. May God bless you sir.
A truer American there never was! A good man and a wonderful example of grace and mercy. People like him are what light up the darkness.
Mr. Yoon, you will be in my prayers and thoughts, as will the pilot of the aircraft. My condolences on the loss of the blessings that were your wife and children.
I pray that God will treat you like he treated Job after his trials were over, he was more blessed than before and children were added to him in abundance.
Know that you are a blessing to us and a shining light in your adopted country.
The brave Mr. Yoon illustrates how much many legal immigrants love and defend our country. They seem to understand freedom much better than many who were born here. May God bless Mr. Yoon and his family.
***
John Bibb
Very true…but unfortunately such LEGAL immigrants are being thrown under the bus by organizations like Numbersusa in thier fight against illegals.
Many Korean immigrants are very serious Christians; I’m not surprised by how this gentleman is handling this tragedy.
I lived literally a few houses down from where the plane crashed back in the 1970s. The jets from Miramar would fly over us all of the time and I’d see the Blue Angels during the air show from my backyard.
On December 9th, 2008 at 11:17 pm, American Elephant said:
My thoughts, feelings, and prayers exactly.
May the LORD restore Dong Yun Yoon as he restored Job.
Nothing can bring back Dong Yun Yoon’s wife, daughters, and mother-in-law, and I don’t take his loss lightly, but may he eventually be blessed with a new family.
This is NOT a thread for political discourse. Figures you would take it there. Somehow, I figure you would NOT be like this good man. Now, go finish your Kool-Aid.
On December 10th, 2008 at 12:07 pm, greenfairie said:
The world’s largest church congregation is the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea.
I take it that you are not reading comments here then…or you are not able to understand them. Folks already have commented politically on how legal immigrants are good conservatively and good for country. I added another fact on that. BTW, which kool-aid do you drink? The new which hinders English understanding?
Made me cry!
God bless you, Mr. Yoon.
Mr. Yoon is a mans man.
These horrible feeling he is having will not end soon.
I wonder how many attorneys will be harassing him for their own personal gain from this horrific tragedy.
I watched his comments live yesterday….very moving.
Though jets constantly flying overhead during the new conference did make it a bit uncomfortable.
I feel badly for both men: Mr. Yoon and the Marine pilot, both searching for answers to questions that will haunt them the rest of their lives.
The former will wonder how and why this happened to his family; and the latter will constantly relive the moments right up to when he ejected — wondering what he could have done, if anything, to have avoided that outcome.
It’s a sad thing all around, that they have to cope with such tragedy and the rest of us have to wonder why it had to happen to two such remarkable men.
With this simple, difficult act of class, this bereaved man is a true American hero. He has now gained a family as big as the whole San Diego military community, and I pray he can deal with his grief with some privacy, now.
I thank God that the aviator is alive and well, and I don’t know how in the he!! anyone could fly one of those things without power. He is guiltless, IMHO, and I hope he can deal with his own griefs. I know the survivor has given the aviator the grace of his own kind words, and that’s going to help.
This is very reminiscent of what Christ has done, except that Jesus Christ didn’t absolve with words, but with his own atoning death. Still, the abundant grace of God overflows, and in no small measure here in out wonderful nation.
I meet a lot of veterans (I am one, too). I met a guy whose whole infantry squad got killed in WW II – and the first thing I said to him was that I hoped he didn’t feel guilt about that. He said yes, but constant kindness and solace should follow these guys.
I pray that I can be as good of an American as he. It makes me proud to be his countryman, and I will pray for his healing. God bless America.
Wow.
Because you are clueless:
legal immigrant = American
Yoon = Great American
illegal immigrant = felon
Idiot
Well..there you go. A liberal or RINO like yourself can never debate without calling names on others. Btw, same to you!
For him to be able to pray for the pilot is the mark of a Christian. I will pray for both of them. I cannot imagine how either man feels right now.
Average Joe, et al., I agree that this story is primarily about Mr. Yoon’s Faith. God’s grace is the only thing that has allowed him such courage, compassion, and perspective in the face of such a tragic loss. Mr. Yoon, may God reward you richly for your suffering. May God protect the mind and heart of the pilot, as well.
I haven’t dreamt about this in my worst nightmares, and would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Dong Yun Yoon, you and the souls of your lost loved ones are in my prayers. Know that the Lord you put your faith in is smiling down on you and them for your act of truly Godly forgiveness. Whenever I find myself at risk of giving in to spite over something that doesn’t even really matter, I will remember what you have said and done in the face of this nightmare.
Let this also be a lesson to all of us to treasure every breath we take and every moment we have with loved ones and friends. Life is to be savored and used to bless others while we can.
frostrt, well said.
On December 10th, 2008 at 5:55 pm, MtsEdge said:
frostrt, well said.
————————————
Thank you. Man, talk about a “wake-up call” about just how fragile life is.
This is what it looks like the next time you hear someone say “I trust in Jesus Christ…I’ve been born again…been given a new life in Him…His grace is sufficient for me”.
Only Christ can produce this kind of fruit in a person. God bless this man.
DEBATE? This is NOT (and I will say it yet again NOT so you can get it) a thread for debate.
I will take the Idiot tag as I am too stupid and keep trying to get you to understand a simple thing.
This is the Lord. Jesus is bearing this man up and that’s why it looks so impossible to us watching from the outside.
I don’t know what I have that Yoon may want or need, but I would hope in Christ that I could give it to him if he needs it.