I don't know if anyone has heard or has been keeping up with this story, but a family of four went missing in Oregon over Thanksgiving Break. James Kim, an editor for CNET.com, his wife Kati, and two daughters, ages 4 years and 7 months, left for a Thanksgiving road trip to the Pacific Northwest, and were last seen at a Denny's on Saturday, November 25th. When they didn't show up for work on Tuesday, co-workers began to worry - they always kept in touch daily through email and phone calls.

Since then I have been religiously checking the news and Digg for any sign of their return. That's the great thing about the tech community - everyone is like family, and when one of theirs is missing, they do everything they can to help or at least keep everyone informed. After nine grueling days of searching, Kati and the two daughters were found alive this Monday by a helicopter. She had put reflective strips on an umbrella marked "SOS" and was waving it in hopes that anyone would see them. They have since left the hospital in good condition and have been reunited with family. However, James had left two days before to find help; he said that he would be gone for about 5 hours, but two days later he still hadn't returned.

Search teams followed his footprints which lead into a creek drainage, and then they started finding articles of clothing left by him in what looked like a pattern, probably to signal anyone that would try to look for him. That was all the news from last night, and I couldn't get to sleep knowing that he still hadn't been seen by anyone in four days. The weather there is below freezing at night, and with each passing night the chances would be slimmer. I prayed that at this point, I just wanted him to be found, alive or not, for everyone's peace of mind.

Today I got off work at 4pm and immediately got online to see if there were any new developments. And sadly, the first website I checked stated, "James Kim found deceased." I didn't know of James before this (I don't know much about CNET), but for some reason I have been really affected by this story, perhaps because I was hoping so hard that there would be a happy ending. He seemed like a wonderful husband and father, and his daughters are SOOO cute (but so young!). He and his wife also own a clothing boutique and a store that sells organic health and beauty products. They are firm advocates of independent business, which I am very much for. And while I never saw any of his reviews on CNET (he reviewed MP3 players, I think), apparently he ALWAYS used photos of his daughters. What a loving father.

I am thankful that Kati, Penelope, and especially Sabine (the 7 month old) survived and were found in relatively good condition. I am amazed at their fight for survival - the parents didn't eat the little food they had to save their children; they ran the car heater, and after the gas ran out, burned the tires to stay warm. I am grateful for today's technology - although they couldn't get reception, a split-second signal from their cell phones were tracked at a cell tower and guided rescuers to their location. I am angry at James for leaving his family because he would still be alive, though after seven days of being stranded in the wilderness with no sign of rescue, I would also do anything to save my family. I am relieved that at least his body was found; now we can rest assured that he is still not out there alone, fending for his life. But most of all, I am heartbroken that this is the way the story had to end; I wanted so badly for the whole family to be reunited. The world has lost a loving father and husband, and I'm sure to many, a great friend. Rest in peace, James Kim.

JamesandKati.com, website set up by family members.