A former basketball player who had raised awareness about the reality faced by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and led efforts to expedite the construction of the world's first large-scale ALS-specialized nursing hospital, the late Park Seung-il, co-representative of the SEUNG-IL Hope Foundation, has been dead for a year. The late's will continued with the hospital's completion and operation, remaining in many people's memories.
Park Seung-il graduated from Yonsei University and joined the Kia Motors basketball team in 1994, where he played professionally. In 2002 he was appointed the youngest coach in professional basketball history, but ALS developed shortly after his appointment, beginning a long battle with the disease.
After the onset, he served as an ALS publicity ambassador and co-CEO of the SEUNG-IL Hope Foundation, raising awareness of the intractable disease known as ALS in Korea. In particular, he worked with singer Sean to build the country's first ALS nursing center. This is also the world's first hospital specialized for ALS.
While alive, Park said, "It feels like a dream that the ALS nursing center I've envisioned from my hospital bed for 20 years is now entering the design phase," and "I sincerely thank the donors who have supported us so far. I pray that we will surely see a day when ALS patients can live with greater peace of mind in better conditions."
Sean also said last March, "It started when I met Park Seung-il, a basketball player who has had ALS since October 2009, and promised to help build the first ALS nursing hospital in Korea that he dreamed of, donating 100 million won. To keep that promise, I established the SEUNG-IL Hope Foundation in July 2011 and took on the role of co-representative of the foundation with Park Seung-il. I became his voice and his hands and feet, since he could neither move nor speak, to build the ALS nursing hospital as soon as possible," he explained.
But mercilessly, Park Seung-il passed away on Sept. 25 just months before the scheduled completion in Nov. 2024. After his passing, Sean posted on social media, "Seung-il, you worked so hard. The small ball of hope you launched became a thread of hope carried on by many people. I'm so sorry and regretful that you won't be able to see the ALS nursing hospital you dreamed of being completed soon."
He added, "You must have felt so frustrated for 23 years. Now you can run freely and move in heaven. I have so much I want to say to you, but let's meet later in heaven and finish what we couldn't say here. Seung-il, I'm sorry, I already miss you. I love you, my friend," and prayed for the deceased's repose.
The 'SEUNG-IL Hope nursing hospital,' the fruition of the dream the late had cherished throughout his life, gained momentum after groundbreaking and officially opened in 2025. According to the foundation and media reports, about 23.9 billion won was invested in the hospital's construction, and the hospital holds significance as an ALS-specialized nursing facility that is rare worldwide. Although the late passed away just months before completion, the hospital bearing his mark was finished and is being operated as a home for patients.
Singer Sean, who led the foundation with Park Seung-il during his lifetime, repeatedly said in interviews and on social media that meeting Park was the starting point for the nursing hospital's construction, detailing early donations and fundraising activities and the process through to the hospital's completion. Sean led efforts to gather public attention and donations to continue Park's fight and dream, and as a result the hospital moved into actual operation.
The SEUNG-IL Hope nursing hospital now expands treatment beyond ALS to related rare muscular disorders, providing specialized nursing care and rehabilitation. The 'space where patients can live with peace of mind' that the late envisioned from his heart has thus become a reality. The hospital established in his name has now become a practical refuge and a place of treatment for many patients and families. On the first anniversary, many remember him and honor his will.
[photo] SNS
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