by JAMES S. KIM
Authorities recovered the body of a 20-year-old Rutgers student from the Hudson River in New York City last week and later determined the manner of death to be suicide, according to the Daily Targum and Cliff View Pilot.
Paul J. Kim was last seen riding his bicycle toward New Jersey on the south walkway of the George Washington Bridge last Tuesday at around 10:20 a.m., according to a passerby. Authorities said the same passerby then found the bicycle abandoned moments later and notified the Port Authority Police Department.
After family members were able to identify Kim’s bicycle, search teams then found Kim’s body near the Intrepid Museum later that day. Authorities ruled Kim’s death a suicide the following day, believing that he jumped from the bridge.
Kim’s older brother, Christopher Kim, shared the tragic news on Twitter.
“To my little brother, my best friend, Paul J. Kim,” he said in a tweet on Oct. 22, “[I love you], man. Rest in Paradise [with] grandma.”
Others offered their condolences to the Kim family and expressed their grief over Kim’s death.
“It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of Paul J. Kim, a third-year student from Fairview, New Jersey, who was studying in the School of Arts and Sciences,” said Rutgers Chancellor Richard Edwards in an email. “As a community, we mourn the loss of this gifted young man and offer our heartfelt sympathies to Paul’s family and friends.”
Kim was described by his friends on social media as a “genuinely good person” and “one of the nicest and selfless kids I knew.”
In memory of his brother, Christopher Kim created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his brother’s memorial. The fundraiser had an initial goal of $8,000, but it raised nearly $10,000 in one day. As of Monday, it now stands at $11,345.
“I cannot believe the overwhelming amount of support from friends and family both here in our small town to around the entire country,” Christopher Kim wrote on the GoFundMe page. “You are all a living testament to the legacy of endless love that Paul inspired in each of us. … Thank you for supporting our family.”
The Kim family held a wake last Friday and a funeral on Saturday morning.
Rutgers students can contact Rutgers Counseling, ADAP, and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (848) 932-7884 or visit 17 Senior Street in New Brunswick.
The university administration reminded students that counselors are available to “any student who is grieving in this sudden loss, or who is in need of counseling for any reason.” Students can also reach out to to their Residence Life staff if they live on-campus, or the Dean of Students if commuting or residing off-campus, if they just wish to speak to someone.
Photo courtesy of New Brunswick Today
