Influencer Paul Kim, known for discussing his Catholic faith in social media, announced the heartbreaking news that his five-year-old son, Micah, has passed away.
Kim initially shared details on December 21 about Micah’s hospitalization due to a severe case of flu, keeping his 372,000 Instagram followers updated throughout the ordeal.
The flu had serious ramifications, sparking seizures and sepsis, which ultimately required Micah to be placed on life support. A scan showed no brain activity, a grim revelation for the family.
In a video posted on January 1, Kim expressed, “after fighting 11 long hard days, [Micah] went home to the house of our father.”
He added, “We are so proud of him. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart as his dad, on behalf of my family, for all the ways you guys prayed and lifted us up during this time. This incredibly difficult, impossible time for our family. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever been through in my life and it continues to be.”
Kim emphasized his need for privacy to grieve with his family but felt compelled to update his followers, saying, “Micah is already in Heaven at work, seriously, so many testimonies, so many ways in which God is using the light in my five-year-old to truly save souls and change the world.”
He acknowledged the support he received from various religious leaders throughout his son’s hospitalization, expressing gratitude in the video. “For those two weeks we were fighting long and hard, we were consulting legal, health, ethical teams even outside the hospital. Just to make sure we weren’t leaving any stone unturned. In many ways we were fighting for Micah to buy him as much time as possible until he passed,” he reflected.
Kim mentioned on Instagram that “God is using Micah to evangelize the world,” adding a heartfelt note about his sorrow mixed with pride for his son. He humorously commented on hopes for Micah’s eventual canonization.
The tragedy comes during a worrying wave of severe flu cases affecting various age groups, including children. This week, the U.S. reported an increase in child flu fatalities, with health authorities highlighting significant impacts in states like Ohio and Kentucky.
The flu season has been notably harsh this year, marking one of the worst in recent times. Current estimates suggest there have been about 7.5 million infections, over 81,000 hospitalizations, and approximately 3,100 deaths attributed to the flu across the nation.
