Author Jeon Gyeong-cheol, the "Peter Pan dad" who raised his son with severe autism alone for more than 20 years and, even after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, traveled the country to find a place for his son to live after he was gone, has died. He was 63.
On the 6th, Jeong Yu-jin, head of the Forum of Experts for Developmental Disability Support, said on social media (SNS) that Jeon died at about 7:56 p.m. the previous day. In accordance with the deceased's wishes, the funeral will be held without a separate mourning hall.
Jeon is survived by a 26-year-old son, Je-won. Jeon had his son in his mid-30s, and in 2007 the son was diagnosed with severe autism. After divorcing his wife, Jeon raised his son alone for more than 20 years.
"Peter Pan" was the nickname Jeon used to call his son while alive. He gave the name because his son, whose mental age remained at about 2 years old, resembled Peter Pan of "Neverland," who never grows up.
Jeon's story came to wider attention in April last year when he was suddenly diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. At the time, the hospital estimated he had about six months left.
What Jeon worried about most as death approached was his son, who would be left alone. He searched facilities across the country to find a place that would care for Je-won after he was gone. But it was not easy to find a place willing to accept Je-won, a nonverbal adult with the most severe autism, and there were instances in which he was admitted with difficulty only to leave later.
Jeon did not give up and began documenting online the process of searching for a protective facility for his son.
His story then spread through various broadcasts, and his essay "Hello, Peter Pan" was officially published. Readers who learned of Jeon's story left as many as 2,000 supportive comments, and about 80 million won in donations was raised.
As these efforts continued, Je-won was able to live in a community village for adults with the most severe developmental disabilities.
Jeon lived about a year longer than the hospital had initially expected. While alive, he often said his son Je-won was "the being that kept my lifeline attached."
His efforts did not stop with his own son. To help adult individuals with severe autism like his son, Jeon had been working to establish the "Peter Pan Welfare Foundation for Autistic People." On the 25th of last month, news came that a foundation preparatory committee had been launched.
On one broadcast, he said, "As a father, I want to tell you to forget me cleanly and live only for your happiness, but that's not my honest feeling," adding, "I'd like you to remember me as 'when I think of him, I suddenly miss him.'"
Appearing on MBC's "True Story," he left a final message in advance for his son.
Jeon said, "Other parents, as fathers, are happy for a very short time—at most, even if long, they don't get past two to three years—but you gave your father that happiness for more than 20 years. So I was always grateful, and I'm grateful even now. Thank you, my son."