Harford County Father Dies Ahead Of Distillery Opening

ABINGDON, MD — A Harford County husband and father of four died on June 19, just weeks before he planned to open his dream distillery.

Mike Minyoung Pyon, 52, died three weeks after he was hospitalized on May 28 and placed in intensive care, according to his family. He and his wife, Andrea, had just celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary.

In a GoFundMe started to help raise money for his funeral and other expenses, Pyon's family said he had been working long hours at Patient First while simultaneously building his dream business with his partners — a craft distillery he "poured his heart and soul into" for the past four years.

"He was just weeks away from being able to focus more time on the distillery — a dream that was so close to becoming reality," his family wrote.

Pyon was born in Seoul, Korea, and served as a lab technician in the U.S. Army. Friends described him as precise and compassionate, and he also had a deep love of origami.

Pyon's wife, Andrea, paid tribute to him on social media, saying their family was "absolutely devastated."

"I'm so sorry you lived with so much pain, my darling," Andrea wrote. "I'm sorry you didn't see your dream come true (distillery). Your family will find a way to keep your dream alive, my sweet. Rest your amber eyes. Sleep peacefully at long last."

Family friend Allison McGillivray said she met Pyon nearly three decades ago when he was stationed in Germany. She said he had a huge smile and a fun-loving, light-hearted approach to life.

Over the years, McGillivray said Pyon and his wife created a loving, tight-knit family with their four kids and weathered "more than their share of tough times."

“They supported each other and worked hard to earn their happy ever after," she said. "This was not how their story should have gone."

The GoFundMe started to help Pyon's wife and children has already raised nearly $5,100 toward a $12,000 goal. Donations will be used to fund funeral and end-of-life expenses, as well as immediate household needs and living costs.

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