Seoung Il Kang

My father, Seoung Il Kang

Some people may consider superstar athletes, singers, or actors as their heroes. Others may consider animals, well-known scientists, conservationists, and other famous figures as their heroes. However, my hero is a middle-aged man whose name isn’t ubiquitous among many. My hero is my dad, Seoung Il Kang, a proud father, a good husband, and a caring member of the community. He exemplifies and exhibits great perseverance, love, and care for those who are dear to his heart.

Seoung Il Kang was born on the 5th of July, 1961, in Seoul, South Korea. He was born in the time right after the Korean War, and he didn’t have a good life. He lived with his grandparents for a long time, when his parents went to the cities to find good jobs. Back then, Korea was the poorest nation in the world. So, jobs were scarce, and my father had to quit high school temporarily to go find a job to support the family. He received top marks in his classes, though, and he soon resumed his education. My father met Seonja Kim (who later changed her name to Jane Kang, after moving to the Americas), and married her after college. He entered a prestigious college called Cheoung-ang University.

After receiving his college degree in physics, he went to work at a pretty well-to-do company. Having gathered enough money after working there, he transferred to a better company. Finally, he gained enough money to start his own company. My father did so, and made a good living as a head scientist and inventor. He hired people, and set up his business. Time passed, and his business grew so much that it could not be contained in the Korean peninsula anymore. So, my father contacted some business people in the U.S, and decided to merge the 2 companies together; the one in the U.S, led by the American business associates, and the Korean business, led by my dad. Thus, the whole family (I was three by then, and my brother was four years old) moved to the U.S, where they settled in a town called Poughkeepsie. There, my father and the family have stayed and flourished until now.

My father came from very humble beginnings, but he grew to be successful. When he was a child, there was barely any money left to make ends meet, much less satisfy his wants. And business was hard in the beginning. Many of his own associates couldn’t believe that he could succeed. He did. Now, he also shows great qualities that make our community feel proud. He works tirelessly to donate money to others in need. He actively participates in our church and is a devout believer in the Lord and the Holy Trinity. By his faith and his good judgment he uses his many talents to increase the welfare of others, and will never cease to give, rather than to take. He also cares for the family, and shows so much care for us. He sacrifices his time, money, and comfort, just to let my brother and I have and do what we want. He even saved my life several times, from when I was falling down from a hill, to when I was on the edge of death from cardiac arrest. He pushes his mind, body, and spirit to save, help, and nourish others.

My father has implanted so much good ideals in me. Now I think of the world as something to work with and make better. My dad also taught me on good etiquette, academic excellence, and morals. I speak, breathe, and live his ideals, He also taught me on God, and the Holy Trinity. Through him, I first found out about God. It feels like he’s always with me every day, watching over me, even if he's on the other side of the country! So I am always reassured and comforted, and well-provided by my hard-working dad. It’s near impossible to find people who care about others and are as selfless like my dad, and that’s why he’s my hero.