"I Lived According to Others' Wishes"... The Common Regret of Thousands Facing Death

Korean-American Pastor Jun Park Who Worked 8 Years at US General Hospital
Gains Attention for Listening to Thousands Facing End of Life

The story of Joon Park (41), a Korean-American pastor who worked for eight years at a general hospital in the United States and listened to the stories of thousands of patients nearing the end of their lives, was reported by CNN.

The story of Korean-American pastor Jun Park (41) reported by CNN [Photo by CNN]

On the 19th (local time), CNN introduced Pastor Park, who heard the final stories of dying patients at a 1,040-bed general hospital in Florida.

A young man who dreamed of becoming a musician and had been living on the streets sang his last song to Pastor Park, and a teenage girl terrified of death asked him to pray that she would not die.

Park, a second-generation Korean immigrant, grew up in Largo, Florida. The wounds he received from his parents during childhood became the reason he worked as a pastor in the hospital. He recalled, "I was exhausted and depressed, and I was left with serious trauma," saying he had suffered verbal and physical abuse from his parents.

After becoming an adult, he learned through counseling therapy and deep reflection that trauma can be overcome. Wanting to serve as a role model for others, he chose the path of a pastor and headed to the hospital, saying, "I want to help people who have experienced trauma like me to raise their voices."

Pastor Park described himself as a 'therapriest,' a hybrid between a priest and a therapist, stating, "My reason for existence is to listen to patients' stories and comfort them rather than for religious purposes."

Park also shares stories about death with people on social media platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

He said, "A common theme among dying patients is 'regret,'" adding, "Most regrets are about having done what others wanted rather than what they themselves desired during their lives."

He continued, "It's not always our fault; sometimes the resources, systems, or surrounding culture we have did not allow it," and said, "My hope now is to fully see and listen to patients who have finally found freedom."

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