By Dan Russo
Editorial
It’s not easy to watch people you love suffer. Most of us, at some point in our lives, will have to spend time in a hospital with a close family member or friend. This reality can be even harder if the sick or injured person you’re tending to is a child. That may be why Catholic speaker and musician Paul Kim and his wife Maggie’s experiences resonated so strongly with millions recently. The Kims’ son Micah, 5, was admitted to a hospital just days before Christmas and died on New Year’s Eve.
An influenza infection that turned septic eventually claimed the boy’s life, according to the father. Paul Kim posted updates and asked for prayers on the social media platform Instagram during the 11 day period of his son’s hospitalization and then posted two video messages Jan. 1 after Micah passed. Kim normally shares inspirational content about the Catholic faith with about 300,000 followers. His reach online expanded drastically as more people found out about the family’s plight.
The grieving dad’s New Year’s Day videos have been seen around the world. Throughout the ordeal, a huge number of people answered the family’s requests for prayer. Kim and his wife handled the crisis with courage and unwavering faith. They gave a powerful witness. Paul Kim said. “God is using the life of my 5-year-old to truly save souls and change the world.” He described a situation in which another family in the same medical facility had their own seriously ill infant baptized as a result of conversations with the Kims during that time.
Kim said he has “a lot of questions for God,” However, he continues to have trust.
“Thank you for all the love, prayers, and compassion that a countless number of you have showed us,” he told his audience. “May God truly bless you. Your prayers for Micah were answered, but in a different way than what we had all hoped for. God healed and welcomed him into eternal life. He is where we all want to be.”
Micah’s mother Maggie Kim added her own reflections on Instagram the next day, Jan. 2: “Oh, the pain is indescribable. And yet, you have shown us in multiple ways that you are with us. It’s not the same joy as holding your hand or hearing your voice, but there is an unexplainable joy that only comes with knowing you are with Jesus. That you are in our true home. And that you are very, very happy.”
There was a time when the experience of losing a child was usually a very private affair. The grieving process would have been done by a couple alone or perhaps with close family members, but would not necessarily have been shared widely in any community. Times have changed. It is astounding how the Kim family used a new form of media to garner spiritual and emotional support. They were also able to evangelize in a spectacular way. We must continue to pray for them and be grateful for the lessons they have taught us about being open, brave and faithful when facing tragedy. The Kims have proven true in a uniquely modern way that “all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Dan Russo, editor
