You've probably heard about the tragic plane crash in San Diego this week. I hope you've also had a chance to see this good, good man speak to the press about it. A military jet returning to Miramar crashed into his home when the second engine failed only two miles from the runway. The pilot ejected safely after attempting to steer the jet toward an empty canyon.
Imagine the sorrow of this poor man. While he was at work, this totally insane mishap took the lives of his wife, his two baby daughters (one was 15 months old, the other a newborn), and his wife's mother who had come from Korea to help with the new baby. They had only moved into the home a few weeks ago.
When we first heard of the crash and it still seemed like maybe there weren't any casualties, both Matt and I were questioning of the pilot's decision. Did he really eject and save himself while this plane was about to crash into people's homes? Seriously? We wondered. . . maybe he really had no control over the plane and had no choice but to bail. Or maybe he was panicked for his own life and was hating himself for not doing more. . . .
If we had questions, I can't imagine what might have gone through this young father's heart. He spoke to the press the day after the accident and—imagine—asked us all to pray for the pilot, that he would not suffer because of this accident. He called him a treasure for our country, and said sincerely that he didn't blame him at all. It was heartbreaking when he said that he knew others had experienced even more painful things than this, and "please tell me how you do it—I don't know what to do. . . ."
I can't stop thinking about this man....
I've thought about how litigious our culture has become—how quickly we seek to lay blame on someone when we suffer. But here is one man who, in the crux of his unimaginable suffering, and not even knowing enough details to really be sure the pilot had done all he could do, here he is asking the public to remember him—the pilot—in our prayers. What an inspiring example he has been—a truly Christlike example in this tragedy.
I'm sort of hesitant to post this news video—I wish the extra commentary didn't make the story so trite. But I do hope people get a chance to hear Dong Yun Yoon's words. (His press conference—I think it was 7 minutes long—is probably on the internet somewhere unedited. It's worth watching.) I believe so much in the inherent goodness of mankind—of our truly divine natures. We are subject to so many frailties in this mortal world, and are rarely able to avoid them enough to act up to par with that nature. But we see so much goodness. We really do. And this week, Mr. Yoon showed us some of that great Light. It makes me feel so incredibly petty for the little grudges I sometimes hold. . . . I hope I can continue to grow away from that, and learn forgiveness and love like our infinitely forgiving and perfectly loving Savior. And I'm thankful to see His light in others.
1 comment:
So touching. Thank you for posting this.
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