Dear Danwon...

Children who were pretty as flowers Children at an age as pretty as flowers They flew away like flower petals

Dear Danwon High School,

It has been exactly one year since you faced a heartbreaking tragedy. On April 16, 2014, three hundred twenty-five of your junior class boarded a ferry for Jeju Island, but only seventy five students returned.

This field trip was supposed to be a nice break from the stress and pressure of school, a time to relax before taking the college entrance exam.

Now these students will never take the exam, nor will they ever go to college. These students were future policemen, teachers, doctors… They all had dreams, and they will never be able to follow those dreams.

Thank you to all the heroes who did all that they could to save whoever they could. Your courage and selflessness will never be forgotten.

Danwon High School, if there is anything you have learned from this tragedy, it should be that you are not alone. You will never be alone. The entire world mourned the loss of innocent youth. To this day, there are still students lost at sea and parents who don't have closure as to what happened to their children. We stand by the staff, teachers, family, and friends of those affected by the Sewol tragedy. We will never forget.

Saying goodbye to a loved one is hard. Saying goodbye to two hundred fifty precious lives is even harder.

Love,

Whether you are a mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or friend, this tragedy has shaken the world to its core. Few things can affect the entire world like this event has done. As a student myself, I cannot imagine returning to a school with so many of my friends not there. And that is why I am praying for all of you every single day. I am praying that God can mend your broken hearts and allow all of you to find joy in this current sea of sadness. I pray that all of you can grow together in the midst of this tragedy and to remember your friends' not for how they died, but how they lived. I'm sure all of your friends were amazing people, and they deserve to be celebrated! Let the world know that Danwon is not drowning in sorrows butgrowing with love for your friends that passed away. You are all so incredibly strong, and I thank you for the inspiration all of you are to me each and every single day. 

God Bless,

Dear Danwon Families & Friends,

I cannot possibly imagine all you are going through right now. I myself have very little family but those that I lost went peacefully. I don't think there is anyone on Earth with the right to compare their pain to yours. Every person is different and precious. I pray everyday that some miracle will happen for all of you. It may be impossible to return your loved ones to you, but I hope for a miracle that will allow you to move on with your life happily and in a way that will bring pride, happiness, and peace to those you have lost. I also pray no other family ever has to experience anything so horrible. I don't know any of you and I didn't know your children, but I think of you and pray for you everyday, and will do so for the rest of my life.

Love and Condolences

From my heart,

Tiffani Devault

This tragedy hurts my heart. I wish there were more I could do to help everyone affected by what has happened. Nobody should have to feel this sense of pain and loss, of fear and confusion.

When I think about how everyone on the ferry must have felt my heart shatters into a million little pieces and I feel so empty. When I think about how the survivors must feel, or the families and friends of the people lost, I cry. I truly cry. That kind of pain is so lonely and so severe. I wish I could take away everyone's pain and keep it as my own so that all of you can smile and be happy again.

I am grieving with your country. Not because I like Kpop but because such a catastrophe should impact everyone. People are people and this loss is painful.

Please give me some of your pain to carry as my own. I wish I could ease your suffering even a little. Time goes on and those lost will never be forgotten but every day it will be a little easier to face the day. It is my hope that eventually the smiles can come back to your faces and that the pain will subside from your hearts.

My heart goes out to all of you. I give my love to each of you. Stay strong. Stay brave. And one day the sun will shine in your heart again.

To all of you who have suffered. I can't Imagine the pain you're all facing right now. My heart goes out for you, my prayers go out to you, and those who are still missing. And to those who have passed, I hope they rest peacefully up in Heaven. 

Even though you may not know my face or my name, I am here, to hold your hand and help you through this. 

No matter how many days pass, I pray for the missing ones to return. 

Words can not express how much I sympathize, how much I'd rather be in the place of all those people...how much I'm dying to help. 

I've been reading daily about the disaster, and each time, the death toll rises. My hope slowly degrades, but it's still there. As all of your's should be.

Don't give up on those who are missing, and be happy...for your friends who have passed are now in a better place.

Dear Danwon,

Be strong. I know you can. Besides aall these events, please be thankful that you are still alive. Your friends, they are not dead, they die when we forget them. They will always be in our hearts. And don't feel lonely or sad. I will always pray for you and be with you in your heart.

Even we are far away~ you are my friend and I always love and help my friends~ you are not alone~

Dear Danwon,

  I'm sorry.

  I'm sorry we cannot understand the exact hurt of loosing your loved ones so abruptly, I'm sorry your precious ones couldn't return to you, and I'm sorry for the anguish you're being put through with the false reports in mass media.

  We cannot offer you anything more than our apologies, but our hearts go out to all those who are affected - and all the lives lost. 

  This immeasurable amount of suffering - untouched by words, untouched by tears, this inexpressible sadness you hold right now - we're praying that, in your own pace, in your own time, Love & Light may warm the depths of your Spirit & Soul, that, in the loving guidance of the Higher beings, the most ordinary, the simplest kindness may be offered to you, that, in the space of this mourning right now, you may find the strength to move to a Lighter Now after solemn grieving, that, in your own heart, you may feel the softness of your loved ones voice calling to you, telling you they're safe & sound, ready to move on to the Light of Love, that, after the tremendous amount of emotion has been felt then released, you may find Peace, Peace within the Soul & Spirit.

  May Love lighten your burdens

brighten your path

and ease your suffering in this dark night of the Soul.

  Sending Angelic Love & Light to You,

M.A.

If you are not proficient in Korean, please do not use Google Translate to translate your letter in Korean. The grammar is incorrect and often awkward if you do this. Please write in your native language; your sincerity will be felt regardless of the language barrier. :)

I'm writing to you as a mom.

I wanted to say that I can imagine your pain, but that wouldn't be true.

I can not imagine the pain you are going through, because the pain is simply impossible to comprehend.

You have lost a part of yourself, a part of your heart, a part of your spirit.

There are no words that will make you feel better.

But, I want you to know that I and probably thousands of other moms also shed tears over your lost children.

This accident was the most horrific tragedy one can imagine... 

You have a right to be angry.

You should cry as long as you want to.

You should scream and shout until the whole world knows how hurt you are.

I wish I could hug you.

I wish I could hold your hand.

I wish I could cheer you up.

I wish I could turn back time for you...

Your sons and your daughters will stay in your hearts and your memories forever.

Be strong.

You and your families are in my thoughts.

Kind regards,

Karolina James

I fell so bad with this event. My family and friend always fell bad and so sad when saw this news. I wish this event is last bad thing for South Korea. Every people encouragement you.

-sorry but my english sentence is wrong.