Support Young Chol and Dong Hee's Recovery

Help Young Chol and Dong Hee Recover From a Devastating Accident

Dear friends,

Our beloved friends, Young Chol and Dong Hee, were involved in a devastating accident that has left them homeless and in crisis. You can read more about the incident in the KSL news article here. They are the couple referenced in the story.

Their Story

Dong Hee has struggled with chronic insomnia for years, which took a toll on her mental health. A few years ago, she sought treatment in Korea, where she received medication and care that helped her stabilize. Feeling hopeful, she returned to the U.S.

Recently, Young Chol achieved a lifelong dream by opening his own restaurant, Kahi Sushi, in American Fork. Like many entrepreneurs, he has poured all his time and money into the business, working late into the night each day.

Unfortunately, with Young Chol away for most of the day, Dong Hee’s mental health declined. Alone at home, she drew the curtains and isolated herself. In an attempt to find comfort, she set up a tent in their living room—recreating a memory from a happier time when she had enjoyed camping.

The Tragic Night

On October 21 at 11:00 PM, even though Young Chol was very tired from working late, when he came home, he made dinner and played a card game together to help Dong Hee end the day on a high note. Young Chol went to sleep before Donghee. After he fell asleep, Dong Hee, still struggling with anxiety and unable to sleep, took four times the normal dose of her medication.

In that state of confusion, Dong Hee took a butane gas burner to the bathroom. She connected a gas canister to the burner, mistaking three gas cans for canned food, placed them in a bowl, and turned on the flame. After setting this up, she forgot about it and went to lie down in the living room where her husband was.

The result was a massive explosion that shattered windows, activated sprinklers, and forced the evacuation of 90 families from their apartment complex. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured.

As soon as the explosion occurred, two large windows on the west side (the master bedroom) and (the patio) shattered, and water from the sprinklers immediately began to pour down. Jolted up by the explosion, Young Chol thought the pipes in the house had burst and tried to get the water out of the living room.

The police arrived very fast and shouted to them to evacuate. In his blood-stained pajamas, Young Chol noticed that his fingers had been cut by the broken glass but literally had no idea what was happening. They were taken to the police station, barefoot and confused and because of their limited English, it took all day to sort out what happened.

How You Can Help

Dong Hee is now in the hospital, receiving treatment and close monitoring. We are working with authorities to arrange her return to Korea, where she can receive the long-term care and support of her family.

The explosion destroyed nearly everything they owned, and without health insurance, the couple now faces unexpected medical bills, housing costs, and the challenge of starting over. Your generous donation, no matter the amount, will help them with:

Thank you for reading and supporting these wonderful friends of ours. Even the smallest donation will go a long way to show them our support.

For clarification:

This fundraiser is for YoungChol and DongHee. YoungChol is set up as the beneficiary and will receive all the funds. I will not receive any of the funds. YoungChol is a close family friend from Julia's hometown in Korea. All proceeds will be used to cover medical expenses for the hospitalization and ongoing medical treatment for DongHee and moving expenses as they look for a new place to live.