A Springfield father of three known for his kindness and zest for life died on Sunday when the plane he was piloting crashed in a remote, wooded area of New York as he was transporting rescue dogs from Maryland to Albany. Seuk Kim, 49, died and one of the three dogs on board the single-engine Mooney M20J plane also died, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office said in Facebook posts.
Kim’s plane went down in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, about 35 miles from Albany near the Escarpment Trail, which goes through the high peaks of the Windham-Blackhead Range, the New York Times Union reported. He died on impact as the plane crashed at 6:10 p.m. crash, the preliminary investigation found.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
Kim used his plane to take dogs to organizations that would find the animals homes as part of the Pilots N Paws rescue mission.
“Over the years, Seuk helped to save the lives of hundreds of animals who would have otherwise been euthanized due to overcrowding at animal shelters,” said Maggie Pryor, executive director of the Animal Shelter of the Schoharie Valley, where the surviving dogs are recovering.
An obituary that his cousin, Christine Kim, posted on EverLoved, said, “From a young age, Seuk dreamed of taking to the skies, and he made that dream a reality by becoming a pilot. He found immense joy in flying and used his passion to help others, including his recent work with a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and transporting dogs to safe homes. Seuk was more than just a pilot; he was a champion for others, a friend to all, and a deeply loved member of his family.”
Tributes to Kim have been pouring in. A fundraiser to help with funeral costs and any hardships Kim’s surviving family may experience has raised more than $24,000.
One of the surviving dogs is Whiskey, a 4-month-old Labrador-mix puppy that sustained two broken legs. Pluto, a one-and-a-half-year-old Yorkie-terrier mix, had minor injuries. The dog that died was a puppy named Lisa.
Feature image courtesy Christine Kim
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s News newsletter.
