The ashes of a big-eyed, brown and white puppy named Lisa that tragically passed away in a plane crash in New York’s Catskill Mountains last week are being delivered to the family of the animal rescue pilot who lost his life while trying to save her.
Leah Kim, the 16-year-old daughter of volunteer pilot Seuk Kim, shared that the family came up with the idea for a memorial flight to honor her father’s mission with the rescue group Pilots n Paws and to ensure Lisa found a final resting place with them.
“We all sat down to discuss what we wanted to do with his remains. When given the option to have Lisa’s remains brought to us, we felt it was important to have her by our side,” Kim expressed in a phone interview from Springfield, Virginia.
“He cared deeply for her, which is evident by his willingness to risk his life to save her. We want to ensure she is taken care of and continue the mission he started,” she added.
Seuk Kim took off on a mission for Pilots n Paws from Maryland on November 24, heading to Albany, New York, with Lisa and two other dogs on board his 1986 Mooney M20J. Unfortunately, the single-engine plane crashed in snowy, mountainous terrain in southeastern New York, resulting in the tragic loss of Kim and Lisa, while the other two dogs survived.
On Sunday, Chris Moon, a friend and fellow volunteer pilot with Pilots n Paws, flew to Albany to retrieve Lisa’s ashes and transport them back to Virginia for Kim’s family.
Leah Kim mentioned that they plan to lay Lisa’s ashes to rest in their backyard, alongside the ashes of a cherished family miniature poodle.
“Having Lisa close to us brings comfort during this difficult time,” she expressed.
A funeral service is scheduled for Thursday to honor her father.
Originally from South Korea, Seuk Kim had a lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. Four years ago, he obtained his pilot’s license and began transporting cats and dogs from disaster areas and overcrowded shelters on behalf of rescue organizations, his daughter revealed.
She shared that he would make multiple trips each week to rescue animals for various organizations and always talked about the dogs and cats he helped save.
“Animals have always been a passion of his. He deeply cared for them,” Leah Kim stated.
Penny Edwards, transport coordinator for Forever Changed Animal Rescue, described Seuk Kim as an “amazing individual” and acknowledged him for inspiring her organization to provide aid to Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina last fall.
“The impact he made in such a short time while flying is incredible. It wasn’t just about rescuing animals; he was very involved in the community,” she remarked.
