They Still Miss Their Mother But

From story of Sumi and her little sister and brother, whose mother was killed in tragic Daegu subway fire in February, and that of 40-year-old Kim Chang-ho, who lost his son in the football training-camp fire in Chungnam-do in March, people learn a lesson to appreciate their families and love in this month of family.

They are now trying hard to leave the pain and past behind and get on their feet again.

˝Grandma, I`m home!˝ 63-year-old Hang Jung-ja and her three grandchildren are living in a small village in Youngcheon City in Gyengbuk-do. It was in the afternoon of April 30. Two girls rushed in through the door and threw themselves in the arms of the grandma, who welcomed them with a warm smile on her face.

Their father died of heart attack in January last year and they lost their mother in February this year in Daegu subway fire. Eom Su-mi(8), Nan-young(6) and Dong-gyu(5) all looked healthy and gallant, though.

Grandmother stopped working in the field after the incident to devote herself to taking caring of the little ones. She did not want them to think of their dead mother so she always stays with them.

Things are quite different from the way they used to be. Su-mi, the oldest of the three, no longer complains about food. She has grown up much since the incident. She does her homework by herself and makes bed for two little sister and brother. She recently began to wash dishes after meal.

Second child Nan-young, still stubborn she is, listens to the grandmother well. She used to make her room a mess, but now she even clean up the room after her little brother Nam-su plays with his toys.

Seeing her grandchildren behaving themselves well, she feels sorry as well as proud. After the story of the three little children was released, many kind people nationwide sent letters of encouragement, in which the grandmother found comfort and strength to carry on.

There are messages such as ˝Please, take good care of them.˝ and ˝Cheer up! Su-mi. ˝ A middle school student sent a book for Su-mi.

Yakult Korea is sending 1 million won a month, and the money is helping the family the most. ˝I spent 500,000 won on living and the rest half on saving for the three little ones,˝ said Hwang.

Su-mi, enjoying reading books a lot, wishes to become a Korean language teacher when she grows up. Nan-young showed off her own drawings and said with a shy smile, ˝I want to become a fine art teacher.”