Friday, January 2, 2009

A Korean tragedy: the aftermath

The entire island of Tinian is in sorrow over the death of the young husband a few days ago. Family members, of course, are asking questions: How could this happen? Some, in coming to pick-up the body, naturally wanted to come to Tinian to see where, and find out how, he died.

I'm not sure anyone knows for sure how he died. There were lots of people around when he disappeared, but no one actually saw what happened... they just noticed he was gone. Perhaps he had excused himself to go into the jungle for a few moments, perhaps he had gone back to the vehicles to get something... no one assumed he had suddenly gone over the edge of the cliff!

It was not until someone saw his body in the water that the full understanding of what had happened hit them-- he had somehow fallen off the cliff, and drowned.

This tragedy reminds me of my brother-in-law, Dan. Everyone loved Dan. He was a man's man, but cared for and loved children. When Terri and I were very poor, with five small children, Dan and Terri's sister Kim would invite us to their home on Sunday nights. We would eat together, then watch James Bond movies and eat Dan's pies (he was a great pie-man!). I can never watch a James Bond film without thinking of Dan.

A few years ago, while traveling in India, Dan was in an auto accident and died. It was so difficult for the entire family-- Dan's death in a foreign country; trying to get the body home for burial; wanting to travel to India to see where he died-- just trying to do anything to get a handle on what had happened, and why!

Because of Dan's death, I can understand, in a small way, the pain this Korean family is going through.

The entire island is in sorrow over this tragedy; although I'm not sure there is anything we can actually do for the family, or the grieving widow, except to sent them our thoughts and prayers-- to help them understand we empathize and sympathize with them.

Terri often has to console people surrounding the death of loved ones, but it is very unusual, and difficult, to try to console family members that are just visiting the island. We do what we can, but unfortunately, it is never enough to take away the pain and sorrow they must feel!

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