Dateline Paradise:

Malcolm An, the son of rescued snowshoer, Yong Chun Kim, issued a statement of thanks late Monday in recognition of the hundreds of volunteers and national park staff who worked tirelessly for the past three days to save his father.

Yong Chun Kim came off the Mountain at 11 pm Monday. He is reportredly hale and hardy and has returned home with his family, foregoing any examination at a hospiital

 Mr. An’s comments were released by park staff this evening, and his statement, in full, follows:

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 On behalf of the Kim and An families, I would like to sincerely thank the entire collaborative team involved in the tremendous effort to save my father.  Through selfless, extraordinary acts, the search and rescue teams beat incredible odds to successfully find my lost father.

 We were truly impressed with how well the project was organized and executed.  It is clear that Search and Rescue has come a very long way, built upon a long history and utilizing the latest technologies today as well.  Even before we had arrived, the team had developed a complex plan, and constantly adjusted with new information.  The coordination between the people in the field, the operations center, and our family was flawless.  We all recognize that this was a miracle from God, but clearly, a miracle assisted by his good people.

 With that being said, my family and I would like to convey our most sincere gratitude to the entire National Park Service staff at Mount Rainier for their leadership, resources, and excellent communication.  Just a few names among many include Stefan Lofgren and John Piastuck, the NPS Search Team leaders; Chuck Young, Chief Park Ranger; and Rebecca Roland and Mary Wysong, Family Liaison Rangers. 

Unfortunately, we were not able to thank and interface with the entire team in person, but we know that there were over 100 different people searching for my father each day and most of them were volunteers!  We would like to send our deepest gratitude to all the Mountain Search and Rescue Teams including:  Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Olympic, Volcano, Central Washington, and Portland, along with the three German Shepherd Search Dog Teams from around the state.  We would also like to thank the Ski Patrols from Crystal Mt., the NPS Nordic Patrol, and the Emergency Medical Teams from both Washington and Oregon. 

The response from around the area was amazing!  Just knowing that these people cared, giving up so much for my father touched all of our family and friends throughout the entire ordeal.  Lastly, sincere thanks to our family, friends, and church for their thoughts, prayers, and support from the beginning.

 A terrible situation that could have ended in tragedy, instead turned into another beautiful example of how Americans come together to help each other.  Not for monetary gain or other selfish reasons, but because as a community, we care about each other.  In the end, God works in mysterious ways and we would like to especially thank our Lord, God for good people, his grace, and the love that ended up saving my father today.

 – Malcom An, son of Yong Chun Kim, January 16, 2012

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11 pm Update:

The Tacoma News Tribune is reporting that park officials have announced that Yong Chun Kim has descended from the wilderness area of the Stevens Creek drainage area and is about to be transported by Sno-Cat at Stevens Canyon Rd.