Kati Kim describes harrowing week lost in woods

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The Kims' first few days were spent battling harsh weather. Kati Kim noted in her interview that the snow was so heavy that it "bent the tree branches nearly to the ground."

The couple quickly realized that help may not be coming for an extended period. They hunkered down, prepared for the worst and began rationing the food so that it would last two weeks "even if it meant one mouthful a day," Kati Kim told investigators.

The report noted that there was still rice cereal in the car when Kati Kim and her two daughters were rescued.

in remembrance
Devoted dad, gadgeteer

Friends, co-workers mourn
the passing of James Kim.

In the daytime, the Kims began creating signals and signs. They would stomp out large S.O.S. symbols in the snow. They honked the horn and yelled for help often.

On November 30, the Kims' Saab station wagon ran out of gas, the report said. James began attempting to keep a fire going. They punctured a tire and burned it hoping that someone would see the smoke.

"But the trees were so tall that the smoke seemed to dissipate before it got above the timber," Kati Kim told investigators.

On December 1, the Kims built a bigger fire using multiple tires and this time the plume rose high above the trees, according to the report.

In her recollections of that day, Kati Kim told investigators: "If they won't come save us, maybe they will come save their forest."

The feeling of triumph at building a large fire quickly evaporated. Moments after the fire went out the Kims heard a helicopter, Kati Kim said in her interview. James Kim "frantically tried to relight the fire," but was unable to because of the damp conditions. The Kims were dejected, according to the report.

"Kati describes that afternoon, near dark about 4:30, as one of the toughest moments of their ordeal," officials wrote in the report. "They realized they had another night in the car."

On December 2, James Kim estimated that they were four miles from the town of Galice. In fact, the Kims were about 15 miles from the nearest town. James Kim set out at 7:46 a.m., Kati recalled in her interview, with lighters, scissors and extra colorful clothes to leave along his path to help find his way back. He promised to return if he found nothing by 1 p.m.

James Kim never returned. On December 4, Kati Kim and her two daughters were seen by a helicopter. Two other helicopters dropped food and she fed her daughters chocolate. The thirsty children couldn't drink because the Gatorade bottles dropped broke open on impact.

About 10 minutes later a helicopter landed and picked up Kati Kim and the girls. It was only then that she learned that her husband had not yet been found, the report said.

Also during her interview Kati Kim acknowledged the "many who put her family first and put themselves in harm's way to help."

[phxmotor]

The car the Kim family was driving is Saab's 1st all-wheel-drive. It was made by Subaru for Saab when GM owned part of Saab and also owned part of Subaru. This Saab is actually a Subaru Impreza. The only difference is the ensignia on the steering wheel and the hood scoop has a slghtly different shape.
I live in the Sierras where we get snowfalls much deeper than the snow the Kims met with. Because of this cars all-wheel-drive the Subaru's we own we never get stuck in the snow, ever. We never use chains and we never get stuck even in 2 to 3 feet of snow. Even on very rough dirt roads, roads much worse than the road the Kims were on.
I simply do not understand why the Kims did not drive back out the same way they came in. James Kim was wise enough to buy one of the worlds best snow cars. The all-wheel-drive car he was driving is better than a Jeep in deep snow, it is even better than a Jeep and my family has owned both.
For the life of me I can not understand why they did not simply drive out. The TV show repeated over and over that they were stranded, but pictures of the car on the TV show clearly show that it was in the middle of a flat and fairly wide road. In the show Kati, the wife, admtted she hadn't driven since high school, and that James did all of the driving.
Was the wife's status as a non-driver a contributing factor to their decision to not drive out?
They had the right car for snow driving, and the pictures of the car clearly show that almost no snow at all was left at the time of rescue. Even during a huge snowstorm I have been able to drive safely (slowly but safely) in over 2 feet of fresh snow with this same type of car. My wife and I can not understand what really happend. We do not understand why the Kims sat immobilized in a car that could easily handle deep snow, without chains. It is obvious from the helicopeter pictures in the TV show that the car was not stuck at all.
What really happened? Why did they simply not drive out the same way they came in? This was a very difficult TV show to watch, especially knowing the capabilities of the car they were driving. It ws doubley hard to watch when the car was shown in the middle of a fairly wide road, with very little snow around by the time it was located.
Even in a bad snowstorm this type of car easilly plows through deep snow, even without chains.
What actually caused them to stay put and put themselves in such danger?
It simple makes no sense.

[SH1434]

I agree with phxmotor. I got sucked into watching this show and I rarely watch those types of shows. I kept watching partly because I wanted to understand why they didn't just drive back out. I'm sure it's hard for any of us to say what we would do in a confusing situation like that but expecting to be rescued when no one knew where you were just doesn't seem plausible. Maybe we say it was shock or something but I also thought the wife seemed somewhat unemotional about something that must have been extremely emotional. Again, maybe she just holds her emotions in. I don't really think something was suspicious but it leaves too many questions open. I missed some of the show but also don't remember the wife saying that they saw a sign about the danger. Was that left out of the show? That seems strange. I hope there is a good investigation of all of this.

[MissyLACOSTE11]

This Story Literally Had me in tears, because to me it could have been prevented. I am not passing any judgement on this woman Kati, but I don't think the show should have been labeled "The Kati Kim Story", because she was a lot safer in that car with her children, then her husband going out intot he cold day. This show should have been a dedicated to Mr. James Kim, for his harrowing tragic story, on the pain he indured to save his family. I do believe that he is a true hero. In the 20/20 segment special, when they showed the footage of the car first spotted, The road the family was on looked able to drive on. I know that i would never let my husband walk out intot he cold winter snow storm, under any circumstances! Any fairly smart person knows that without the propper equiptment in that type of extreme weather conditions will be fatal in no time! This man should have turned back after walking two miles in that extreme cold weather. What I dont understand is why he did not walk out the same road they came in? He went completely deep off into the rough ruggid terrain, with no source of warmth! This is soo very tragic for the Kim Family, and I send my complete condolences to his wife and children. I seriously thought he was going to make it out alive. I started busting out crying when I found out he was found deceased in the drainage system of Oregon. If he would have just went back out that road, or stayed in the car with his wife and children, he might be alive today. I am so deeply saddened by this tragedy because I have a two year old son, and when children are involved, as a parent, your brain functions on a completely different level, and this man was a "TRUE HERO", for his beautiful family, and I wish he were still alive, because many people don't understand "WHY" they made such indecisive decisions with two young children. I believe that the truth is that the Kim's were very adventerous people, and that is what ultimately ended her husbands life, he was the "MAN" of the family, and she should have let him make more feasable decisions for them. God Bless this family, and I pray that time brings you peace in knowing that ultimately , he sacrificed his life for his family, and that is the greatest gift that they will ever have. It seems like he was a smart man, but his poor decision making, in a life or death situation ended his life. He decided his fate when his wife said, "he was giong to get help no matter what", she at that point said, " I was worried about my children, and that ws IT", This cost him his life.

[Carmenxtc]

If the person who called about the tip that the Kims where spotted at Gold beach or near the coast, would've never called then maybe Mr Kim would still be alive. They seemed to call right when he was approaching Bear camp road and the rescuers would have spotted him if they hadn't been ordered to evacuate the area. Bad timing, and they should've had more SAR at night.