Update: Body of James Kim found

Colbert
December 5, 2006

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Hope for the Safe Return of James Kim

Back in the halcyon days of the dot com era, I was working for mySimon.com, a CNET shopping property. I didn't know Senior Editor, James Kim at all, but had read his reviews of audio gadets and devices on CNET.com. When I heard news that the James Kim family was missing in the snow storm that dusted the Oregon wilderness, I felt a sense that this was something that hit home, a whole family was missing.

Fortunately, yesterday was a day that we finally heard some good news on the missing family of James Kim. The San Francisco family had been missing since November 25th. Kati Kim, the wife of James along with their two daughters were found in the Oregon forest by the search and rescue helicopter when Kati was flashing an umbrella with the words "SOS". Unfotunately, James is still missing since he set foot trying to find help on his own. Hopefully, in the next 24 hours, the searchers will find him.

You can check out some of the news stories about the Kim Family from CNET and the Chronicle.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/04/BAGR2MP9383.DTL

http://news.com.com/CNET+editors+wife%2C+daughters+found+search+continues/2100-1028_3-6140676.html?tag=cnetfd.mt

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Comments

Comments

j wrote on Tue, 12/05/2006 - 10:13am
there's also more information to be found at jamesandkati.com.
rebecca wrote on Tue, 12/05/2006 - 10:54am
(hey colbert! i was going to blog about this! well, i'm glad you did.)The Kims also own a really great store in my neighborhood, Doe. I met Kati and her baby just a couple of months ago, when she advised me and a friend on the merits of a particular smocked dress during the Lower Haight Block Party. Lower Haighters can be a proud lot, and I also feel as though something struck close to home. I really hope that he is found.
Raj wrote on Tue, 12/05/2006 - 1:14pm
Glad to know that the wife and kids were found and are doing well. Hope they find the husband alive.
Spike wrote on Tue, 12/05/2006 - 1:18pm
Those kids are so cute. I hope they find the father soon. What a horrible situation.
Neela wrote on Wed, 12/06/2006 - 1:28pm
Oh no! this is so sad. I didn't know this family at all but, you're right, this really hits close to home somehow.
Melissa wrote on Wed, 12/06/2006 - 2:13pm
I am sad that they did not find James Kim alive. Even though I don't know the Kim family either, I have friends who are like them: people who work in similar kinds of jobs with children that age. My heart goes out to the family.
colbert wrote on Wed, 12/06/2006 - 2:42pm
People can visit this website setup by friends and send Donations to the Kim family. This is really sad that this young family will be without their Dad.
Raj wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 7:56pm
Kim's family is very wealthy. His father is the CEO of a corporation in Southern California. What they need is a lot of love and people who care and plenty of condolences.
mrhyphen wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 9:20pm
I cannot imagine how harrowing the 14 days must have been for the entire family, dealing with immense isolation and survival. It humbled me so much to hear about his perseverence in such extreme conditions, and the outpouring of support around the world for what he endured.
Raj wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 5:38am
Three mistakes were made and most likely the family is not to blame. Supposedly the road is closed for the winter, but vandals had broken the door entering that road; His extended family did not file a missing person report immediately (ie., monday); third, the law enforcement did not think about the family making a wrong turn or missing the turn and turning on another road. Eventually the private helicopter hired by James Kim's wealthy family (his father is a prominent figure and CEO of a major corporation) found the family and even located James Kim's body. I am afraid that if the family was not wealthy the wife and daughters would never have been found...sad but true!! And as usual, the media only interviewed the white side of the family..only CNN interviewed his sister.
Frank wrote on Sun, 12/10/2006 - 3:05am
I'm worried about the kids... how would they grow up?
anna wrote on Mon, 12/11/2006 - 4:40pm
Raj, Actually the helicopter that found them was by a man who lived in the area and guessed that the Kims might have been stranded off that road.He read about the story in the paper and was moved by the photos of the children. He has his own private helicopter because he owns many Burger King franchises in the area and flies between them. He was the one who initally spotted Kati Kim and then was able to get into contact with the helicopter hired by the Kims, which was the helicopter that recued them from the snow. If not for a stranger, who knows when they would have been found?