The ashes of a big-eyed brown and white puppy named Lisa, who died last week in a plane crash in New York’s Catskill Mountains were delivered Sunday to the family of the animal rescue pilot who lost his life trying to give the dog a chance at a new one.

Leah Kim, the 16-year-old daughter of volunteer pilot Seuk Kim, 49, said the family came up with the idea for the memorial flight as a way to complete her father’s mission with the Pilots n Paws rescue group and d finally assure Lisa. had a house.

“We all sat down and discussed what we would like to do with his remains. And then we were given the option of having Lisa’s remains brought to us, we decided we would all feel a lot better if she was with us,” Kim said in a telephone interview from Springfield, Virginia.

“Clearly, he cared enough about her to risk his life on an expedition to save her. And we just want to make sure she’s taken care of,” she said. “We feel a responsibility to continue what he started.”

Seuk Kim took off on November 24 from Maryland on a mission for the Pilots n Paws relief organization, en route to Albany, New York. He had Lisa and two other small dogs aboard his 1986 Mooney M20J when the single-engine plane crashed under unknown circumstances in snowy mountainous terrain in southeast New York. Kim and Lisa were killed while the two remaining puppies survived.

On Sunday, Chris Moon, a friend and fellow Pilots n Paws volunteer pilot, flew to Albany to collect Lisa’s ashes, then flew them back to Virginia to Kim’s family.

Leah Kim said they likely buried Lisa’s ashes in their backyard, along with the ashes of a beloved family miniature poodle.

“Just having Lisa nearby gives us all the comfort,” she said.

A funeral is planned for Thursday for his father.

Originally from South Korea, Seuk Kim dreamed of becoming a pilot since childhood. He began transporting cats and dogs from disaster areas and overcrowded shelters for relief organizations after getting his pilot’s license four years ago, his daughter said.

She said he made trips several times a week to collect animals for several organizations and often talked about the orphaned dogs and cats he helped save.

“He was always a big fan of animals. They were one of his passions,” Leah Kim said.

Penny Edwards, transportation coordinator for the group Forever Changed Animal Rescue, called Seuk Kim “an incredible person” and credited him with being the impetus for her organization to deliver supplies to victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina during its fall.

“It’s just amazing how many lives he touched and impacted in such a short time while he was flying,” she said. “It wasn’t just about saving animals. He was so involved in the community.