26 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 12, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com METRO-NORTH VICTIM MOURNED BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com Metro-North derailment victim Kisook Ahn was a dedicated nurse who was driven to pursue her career in America because of her love for an autistic nephew, said mourners at her funeral. A service for Ahn was held on Saturday, December 7 at Saint Sebastian Roman Catholic Church in Woodside, where the 35-year-old was a parishioner. Ahn was coming home after fi nishing the night shift as a registered nurse at Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center in Ossining, N.Y., when she lost her life in the December 1 train accident. Those in attendance at the service included friends and fellow parishioners, as well as Ahn’s brother and brother in-law who fl ew in from her native South Korea on Wednesday, December 4. Jin-Won Ahn, speaking through a translator and holding a photo of his sister in her cap and gown, said she “came here to pursue her dreams.” He described his sister as a caring and loving aunt. Jin-Won said she came to America to study nursing because his eightyear old son has autism and she wanted to learn more about it. Jin-Won also said that is the reason she worked at Sunshine Children’s Home, where she provided care for medically complex children. Ahn arrived in the U.S. from South Korea in 2008 as part of Lehman College’s exchange program with Sungshin Women’s University. In 2009, she completed an accelerated bachelor’s degree in nursing and received a master’s degree from the school’s family nurse practitioner program in 2012. Catherine Alicia Georges, chair of Lehman College’s nursing department and Ahn’s former teacher, who attended the funeral, said Ahn “exemplifi ed everything we wanted to see in a graduate.” “That’s how we want to remember her -- as a truly dedicated and professional nurse,” said Georges. Jin-Won said he “was deeply impressed” by all the people, including co-workers and classmates, who came to the funeral. The family plans on having a service for Ahn in South Korea after bringing her cremated remains there, said Jin-Won. When asked if he was planning to fi le legal action against the MTA, Jin-Won said he is “consulting with a few lawyers.” The National Transportation Safety Board said speed was a contributing factor in the derailment and the locomotive was traveling at approximately 82 mph as it entered a 30 mph curve. A lawyer for the train’s engineer said he was in a hypnoticlike “daze” before he noticed something was wrong and hit the brakes, according to published reports. On Sunday, December 8, the MTA announced it was installing new protections at the site of the Bronx derailment, including technology which would warn engineers of the need for speed reduction and automatically apply the train’s emergency brakes if speed isn’t reduced to 30 mph in the curve. It will also be implementing other measures for Metro- North to reinforce safety along its critical curves and movable bridges. THE COURIER/Photos by Cristabelle Tumola Friends and family, including her brother (pictured left) came out to remember Metro-North derailment victim Kisook Ahn at her Woodside funeral on Saturday, December 7. ONE OIL TO KNOW FOR HEAT TICKETS TO THE BIG GAME! THE LIVE at MetLife Stadium on February 2, 2014 Enter now on our Facebook page WIN • Peace of mind knowing we have over 100 years of experience. • Convenient, reliable around-the-clock service and support in any weather. • Great value! Oil pricing and payment plans, service plans and more. • Ultra low sulfur bioheat/ fuel, the greenest choice for your heating needs. CALL NOW FOR SPECIAL OFFERS! 1.855.206.4284 petro.com HEATING OIL | NATURAL GAS | AIR CONDITIONING | PLUMBING | GENERATORS | HOME SECURITY NYC Lic. No. 1314079. ©2013 Petro. P_13497 COMMIT TO BE FIT ONE-ON-ONE PERSONAL TRAINING GROUP CLASSES AVAILABLE ALL AGES. ALL FITNESS LEVELS. ALL ABILITIES. THE FITNESS CONSULTANT Celebrating Our 24th Anniversary! 208-52 Cross Island Pkwy • Bayside 718.352.9075 2011 st www.tfc-gym.com FREE TRAINING SESSION CALL TODAY of the THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com Place WIN FREE TICKETS! Win Free Tickets to DISNEY ON ICE at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Colisum January 9-12 Register online at www.queenscourier.com
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