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According to investigators, a pilot who gained notoriety for saving animals perished in an aircraft accident in New York State while delivering three rescue dogs.
According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office NY on Monday, Seuk Kim, 49, of Springfield, was flying a small plane with.
The animals on board from Maryland to Albany on Sunday when he reportedly lost control and crashed into a woodland in Windham, New York, about 35 miles southwest of his intended destination.
He died upon impact, according to a preliminary investigation, Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky told CBS.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Seuk Kim, who left us far too early while living his dream and making the world a kinder place,” said the online obituary in honor of the father of three from Virginia.
According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office NY, two of the dogs, one a Labrador-mix puppy called “Whiskey,” suffered injuries, including two broken legs.
According to CBS, another, Pluto, an 18-month-old Yorkshire terrier mix, had minor wounds. “It was dug down into the snow and it was pretty scared,” Kusminsky told CBS of the wounded pup’s condition.
According to Greene County officials, the animals were transported to Hyer Ground Rescue for treatment in conjunction with PAW (Partners for Animal Welfare).
But neither the pilot with the “zest for life” nor the third dog made it out alive. Conditions had been bad and visibility had been low at the time of the event.
Fox5 said that just before the disaster, Kim apparently experienced turbulence on board and requested altitude.
Leah Kim, his 16-year-old daughter, told the publication that her father “died doing what he loved, which was saving animals.”
“From a young age, Seuk dreamed of taking to the skies, and he made that dream a reality by becoming a pilot,” said the fundraiser established in the 49-year-old’s honor.
In addition to using his love of flying to assist others, he recently worked with a charity group that rescues and transports pets to safe homes.
Kim often shared updates on his pet-saving activities on Facebook and took several trips around the United States to rehabilitate and assist in finding homes for animals in need.
“I’ve flown hundreds of dogs and never one chewed and gnawed through a crate to get out and stand on it, looking so proud like.
She had conquered it,” he said in October, with a laughing emoji. I guess things may have gone wrong if she hadn’t been such a wonderful dog.
“If anyone is interested, Velma, the wiry escape artist, is up for adoption from the Stafford/Fredricksburg area.”