The next day began early.

We had to be at the funeral parlor at 6:30 and leave at 7. We gathered all of our things from the adjoining suite where Yung-Un, Kyurie, and Hong-Kyu had been sleeping. Once we gathered all of our things, we went outside and packed them into cars. There were 2 buses waiting to take all the family and the guests to the crematory via KAIST. KAIST had arranged an unprecedented memorial in my brother's honor.

There was a hearse behind the bus. The funeral parlor director motioned for 6 people to come and retrieve the coffin. Then out they came carrying my brother's coffin. It was a very simple pine coffin. My brother was in there. It contained the last physical evidence that my brother had ever been on this Earth.

Up until then I had this stupid thought in my head. The quacks at the hospital have misdiagnosed. If anyone can come back to life as if in an Edgar Allan Poe story, it would be my brother. Of course, there must have been some sort of mistake. My brother had always been injury-prone, survived many accidents. This must be one of them. He just needs to wake up and show everyone that all of this had been a huge mistake.

But my brother didn't wake up.

As the coffin was being carried, there was no sign of resistance. No one screaming, LET ME OUT!, or knocking to be heard. He wasn't coming back. He didn't survive this time.

I had never ever been sadder at that moment than at any other moment in my life.

The coffin was placed inside the hearse, we boarded the bus and began the slow ride to KAIST.

My brother's colleagues at KAIST had arranged a tour of all the places my brother had occupied. His mailboxes. His office. His lab. The faculty lounge. It all had traces of my brother. There were motorcycle paraphernalia in his office. 2 helmets. 2 pairs of boots. In the corner.

As we entered the lobby of the Graduate School of Nano Science and Technology, we saw there were maybe 200 people gathered on a Monday. One of his students spoke on behalf of all of his students. Then one of his colleagues spoke on behalf of all the professors. Then finally, the president of KAIST spoke these words:

추도사 (追悼辭)

우리는 이제
우리의 자랑이었으며, 사랑했던 동료
신중훈 교수님을 보내드리려고 합니다.

아직도 3일전 비보에 놀란
쓰리고 황망한 가슴이 가라앉질 않습니다.

이 슬픔과 안타까움은
잊혀질 수 없음을 우리는 잘 알고 있습니다.

신 교수님은
부모님과
세상에서 가장 사랑했던 아내 홍영은 사모님,
따님 규리와 아드님 홍규,
그 외의 가족분들,
지도를 받아온 제자들,
국내외 동료 선후배들의 추억과 그리움 속에서
영원히 함께 할 것입니다.

신 교수님은 늘 정직하고,
권위적이지 않은 분이셨습니다.

아내와 두 자녀에게
어느 누구보다도 더 친밀하고 사랑스러운
가장이었으며,
동료 선후배들 사이에서는
형처럼, 아우처럼, 친구처럼
격이 없고,
동시에 항상 정의롭고, 지혜로운 분이었습니다.

신 교수님의 교육과 연구
그리고 학문을 향한 꿈과 열정은
KAIST인들의 귀감이었고,
동료 선후배들에게 베푼
그의 깊은 우정은
KAIST인들의 가슴을 항상 따뜻하게 했습니다.

신중훈 교수님!
견디기 힘든 슬픔을 뒤로 하고,
이제 당신을 놓아드리려고 합니다.

교수님도 너무 갑작스런 이별의
슬픔과 회한을 내려 놓으시고,
고요하고 평화로운 곳에서
편히 쉬시길 바랍니다.

KAIST인들도 신 교수님의
꿈과 열정이 헛되지 않도록
열과 성을 다해 정진하겠습니다.

사랑하는 사모님, 따님 규리, 아드님 홍규가
이 큰 슬픔을 이겨내고,
굳건히 생활할 수 있도록
항상 지켜 봐 주시리라 믿습니다.

KAIST도
가족분들이 큰 슬픔을 이겨내고
행복할 수 있도록
최선을 다하겠습니다.

안녕히 가십시오.

KAIST 총장 강 성 모

***

We are about to bid our final good bye to our beloved colleague, Professor Shin Jung Hoon, who was also a great source of pride for all of us. 

The feelings of shock and grief that we felt upon receiving the sad news of his passing three days ago are still present in all of us today. 

We will never forget this immense grief and sense of loss.

Professor Shin will live forever now in the beautiful memories and remembrances in all of us -- his parents, the love of his life--his wife Yung Un, his daughter Kyurie, and his son Hong Kyu, and his other family members, his students on whom he bestowed so much of his wisdom, and his colleagues here and abroad.

He was an honest, loyal, and modest man.

He especially loved his family, he was a good and loving husband to his wife and good father to his two children. At work he treated all colleagues as equals regardless of rank or standing; he was a brother, friend to everyone without a trace of formality while at the same being fiercely loyal to and wise with everyone.

His passion for research and his teaching, and his vision for the future were sources of pride for KAIST, and his generosity and friendship never failed to warm the hearts of everyone who came across his path. 

Professor Shin Jung Hoon!

We are now preparing to let you go by putting our indescribable sorrow and grief behind. 

We would also call on you to let go of the pain of your sudden departure and to find peace and tranquility in your final resting place. 

We at KAIST will do everything we can to continue your legacy, your passeions and your dreams, and your visions.

We believe deeply that you will watch over your beloved wife, daughter, and son, and help them overcome this deep grief.

We at KAIST also promise that we will do our best to help your beloved family overcome their grief and find happiness again.

Good bye.

President Kang Sung Mo, KAIST

***

It was truly moving. Everyone was grieving. Not just us. The world in which my brother navigated as a scientist, colleague, and mentor was grieving, too.