Comments on Tragic end to lost family ordeal

I feel terrible for his family, but you'd think a CNet editor would have a GPS unit in his car, or a satellite phone, or some technological means of not missing a turn so badly that his family gets stranded in the wilderness for almost 2 weeks and/or getting help in case of emergency. Guess I'll be renewing that OnStar subscription after all...

So fucking sad. Since yesterday, the big question was whether Kim was shedding clothes to help rescuers find him or if it was the result of hypothermia-induced delusions of warmth. Goddamn it.

I don't know why this story grabbed me so much (maybe because they are "just like me", only more talented and ambitious), but this just breaks my stupid little heart. Awful.

It's not even snowy where he was found. Just cold. If he could have just made it a few more miles...

This (sadly) illustrates one of the benefits of carrying a couple extra pounds of body fat around with you at all times.

I can't imagine why they were on that road. If they'd "missed a highway onramp" as the Stranger suggests, they must have been looking for OR Rte. 42. A road map of Oregon (which they appear to have had) should have told them that once they were approaching Grants Pass that they had gone too far.

Some have blamed online map sites' directions for them ending up on that road. Well, directions from Portland to Gold Beach from Google would have sent them on OR Rte 126; Mapquest would have put them on OR Rte 38.

Perhaps James thought that since this little road looked more direct, it would be a shortcut.

Kids, if you're traveling during a cold snap, don't literally kill yourself just to get the cheap winter rate at a seaside resort in the boonies.

i've gotten some shitty mapquest directions in my day, that's for sure.

but this does illustrate rule 1 when you're lost in the woods: stay put! Let them find you.

Blaming them for getting lost is just a pathetic response.

shoulda coulda...

the truth is it's just a really tragic story and I am really sad for the rest of the family.

I am distressed that all the cops on the news tonight are calling this guy a hero, instead of using this as a teachable moment. For pete's sake, if you're stuck in a snowy woods, DON'T LEAVE THE GROUP! Just like that public defender who tried to walk back to the car alone a few weeks ago in Snoqualmie Pass, and went missing for a few days. I can understand how Mr. Kim's decision to strike out alone made sense to him at the time, but it should NOT be endorsed as a good survival tactic for future reference.

On the report I saw this morning, they were saying that his leaving to find help gave them clues to where the wife and kids were. So it might've taken longer to find them if he hadn't gone out for help, maybe they wouldn't have found them at all.

The thing that made this worse (if you could call it worse) is that they found him a mile away from where he started (the car).

OnStar would not have helped the Kims communication-wise. While OnStar contains a GPS receiver and thus can pinpoint its location, the emergency communication is done via cell phone, not satellite.

I've been so saddened and disappointed in the outcome of this story, while also being relieved that Kati Kim and her children were eventually found and rescued. I can't help feeling that all my prayers and hopeful wishes were for nothing in James' case.

If anyone would like, the Seattle PI posted a link online to the SFGate.com condolence book for the family at http://www.legacy.com/SFGate/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=20181541 ...