My Ahpa's (Dad in Korean) Memorial
Donation protected
My Ahpa (means Dad in Korean) was an amazing man. He met my Mom when I was only one and my brother was 6. From that moment on, he was the best role model to us children and the best Husband to my Mom that we could have ever asked for. He changed our diapers, taught us to ride a bike, and eventually taught us all to drive a car.... He even TRIED to teach me to drive a stick shift. For 20 YEARS, my Ahpa put his all into his little family... My Mom, brother Donny, sister Breelle and myself. He was so proud of all of us & we were just as proud of him. For 20 years he was at every event we had, whether it be a band concert, choir concert, graduation, boy scout outing, field trip, etc. He was very involved in our lives and instilled so many morals and values in us that we can never thank him enough for. He was the man we needed in our lives and I believe we were what he needed as well.
A few years ago, my Ahpa (Mark) relapsed after being sober for over 20 years. We believe he was battling inner demons and over the last few years, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol, seeking comfort to conceal his own mental illnesses. But he never found what he was looking for.
For those of you that don't know, Ahpa was in Missouri at a campground and was brutally attacked & tortured by another man who is now in custody last Friday (Sept 22nd) and succumbed to his injuries with me at his side yesterday afternoon (Sept 29, 2017).
We believe he is now at peace and restored to his former glory, free of alcohol, free of worry, free of sin and free of fear, in the Hands of God. And although we take some comfort in that, we would like to come together as a family one last time to honor him as the loving father, uncle, brother, friend, and son he once was; we want to remember him as the amazing man he was before his injuries and mental illness and alcoholism took his mind. Because he always had the same loving heart.
We are just asking for some help with memorial expenses (getting all of his family to Colorado
without any worry, and arranging a beautiful service for a man of God.
Thank you all for your kind words and donations. We cannot tell you how sad we are to be going through something like this, but find comfort in all of the stories friends and family from all over are able to share with us.
A few years ago, my Ahpa (Mark) relapsed after being sober for over 20 years. We believe he was battling inner demons and over the last few years, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol, seeking comfort to conceal his own mental illnesses. But he never found what he was looking for.
For those of you that don't know, Ahpa was in Missouri at a campground and was brutally attacked & tortured by another man who is now in custody last Friday (Sept 22nd) and succumbed to his injuries with me at his side yesterday afternoon (Sept 29, 2017).
We believe he is now at peace and restored to his former glory, free of alcohol, free of worry, free of sin and free of fear, in the Hands of God. And although we take some comfort in that, we would like to come together as a family one last time to honor him as the loving father, uncle, brother, friend, and son he once was; we want to remember him as the amazing man he was before his injuries and mental illness and alcoholism took his mind. Because he always had the same loving heart.
We are just asking for some help with memorial expenses (getting all of his family to Colorado
without any worry, and arranging a beautiful service for a man of God.
Thank you all for your kind words and donations. We cannot tell you how sad we are to be going through something like this, but find comfort in all of the stories friends and family from all over are able to share with us.
Organizer
BreeAnna Hilsenrath
Organizer
Decatur, AL
