[Itaewon Tragedy] "Felt like being stabbed millions of times" - American Father Mourns Losing 20-Year-Old Son

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] "My son was in the site of the crush accident in Seoul. We have not yet heard from him. The authorities are trying to help. If anyone has new information, please share it."

After news broke of the Itaewon crush disaster in Seoul that claimed over 150 lives, Steve Blessy (62), an American who sent his son to study in Seoul, posted on his Twitter on the 29th (local time) a photo of his son Steven (20) smiling along with this message. Anxiously and worriedly waiting for a response, he was forced to post four hours later, "I have just confirmed the death of my son."

According to The New York Times (NYT), on the day he posted the message, while shopping with his wife, he received a phone call from his brother asking, "Have you heard about the situation in Korea?" Worried about his son in Seoul, Blessy contacted his son, friends, and government officials, and finally received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Korea. It was a devastating notification that Steven was one of the two Americans who lost their lives in the Itaewon disaster.

In a phone interview with the NYT, Blessy said he was driving from the outskirts of Atlanta to pick up his eldest son Joey, who attends a university in Alabama, and described the feeling as "being stabbed millions of times simultaneously." He said, "It felt like the world was collapsing. I was numb, stunned, and at the same time in tremendous shock," expressing his emotional breakdown upon receiving the unbelievable news.

According to the NYT and The Washington Post (WP), Steven, who attended Kennesaw State University in Georgia, wanted to study abroad for a semester but was unable to do so for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This fall semester, he came to Hanyang University.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

His parents tearfully saw him off at Atlanta airport in August as he boarded a flight to Korea and took photos with him as he left to pursue his dreams. Blessy said his son, who was interested in international business, wanted to build a career in East Asia. Blessy told the NYT, "My wife is Latina, but my son did not want to go to Latin America. Steven really learned Korean as well as Spanish. He wanted to speak more languages than his mother."

While in Seoul, Steven frequently contacted his family via WhatsApp and sent photos and videos while traveling. After finishing midterms recently, he went out with friends on Saturday night and ended up attending a Halloween festival, his father said. Blessy said, "About 30 minutes before all this happened, I texted him saying, 'I know you are out and about. Be safe.' But I did not get a reply."

Blessy described Steven as a son who loved traveling and basketball and was not afraid to step up to help others. Both Steven and his eldest son were Eagle Scouts, the highest honor in the Boy Scouts. Blessy said, "He was adventurous, outgoing, and kind. I cannot bear the loss of him."

Besides Steven Blessy, the second American who died in this accident is presumed to be Ann Giskero, a student at the University of Kentucky. According to the WP, the University of Kentucky issued a statement on the 30th confirming that Giskero, a junior nursing student, died in the Itaewon crush disaster in Seoul, expressing condolences and calling it "a loss beyond words."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.