Catholic Influencer Paul Kim's 5-Year-Old Son Passes Away, Days After Celebrating 'Miracle Recovery'

Popular catholic influencer Paul Kim's son Micah, 5, has passed away on New Year's Eve after an 11-day battle on life support amid a record-high flu season.

02 Jan 2026, 11:26 by Riddhika Das · BollywoodShaadis

Popular catholic influencer Paul J Kim's son, Micah Joseph, has tragically passed away after a relentless 11-day battle with a severe case of the flu. The online faith community is devastated and is leaving heartfelt notes to the grieving family, who lost their 5-year-old son on New Year's Eve 2025. The heartbreaking news came just days after Kim had shared a hopeful update about little Micah's health, calling it a miraculous recovery.

Paul Kim's son Micah loses his battle to the flu, but the influencer says he was 'already with God'

Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare, and Paul Kim and his wife, Maggie, are now facing that devastating reality. On January 1, 2026, Kim took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news with the thousands of people who had been praying for his son Micah’s recovery. In an emotional video, the visibly shaken influencer revealed that Micah passed away on December 31, 2025, New Year’s Eve, after complications from his illness.

In the emotional video, Paul described the ordeal during the past few days as the most challenging experience he had ever felt. Despite the unbearable loss, the catholic content creator shared he finds comfort knowing that his son is now with the heavenly father. Paul said:

"After fighting 11 long, hard days, [Micah] went home to the house of our father. We are so proud of him."

In their grief, Paul's family has found peace knowing that their little one is "already in Heaven at work." The influencer shared how they had realised Micah was not coming back when he stayed in a "mysterious" coma for days. Acknowledging the outpouring of love and support from all over the world, Paul said:

"I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, as his dad, on behalf of my family, for all the ways you guys prayed and lifted us up during this time. This incredibly difficult, impossible time for our family. It's been the hardest thing I've ever been through in my life, and it continues to be."

What happened to Paul Kim's son, Micah?

Paul had been actively documenting Micah's health journey after he was rushed to emergency care by ambulance. The influencer, who has over 300,000 followers on Instagram, shared on December 21, 2025, that Micah was taken to the hospital after his health worsened. In the frequent updates that followed, he explained that Micah had contracted an unusually severe case of influenza.

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On Christmas Day 2025, the Kim family had seen a glimmer of hope after what they believed was a "miraculous" recovery, as the little one was showing signs of improvement after being on life support. Sharing the moment, Paul wrote, "Even in our deepest suffering, Christ gives us reason to hope and rejoice." However, less than a week later, those hopes were shattered. While the family’s hearts are broken, their faith remains central as they navigate the loss.

See Paul Kim's post here.

Micah became yet another victim of a record-high flu season

Micah became another tragic fatality of a historically severe flu season in the U.S. The CDC has reported 288 pediatric flu deaths in the 2024-2025 season alone, marking a record high for a "non-pandemic year". Health officials have issued a warning of a highly contagious and aggressive influenza A H3N2 subclade that's spreading nationwide, particularly dangerous for young children.

Throughout Micah’s hospitalisation, Kim’s posts reached millions, drawing messages of support from around the world. Even celebrities, including singer Gwen Stefani, commented with prayers and encouragement.

Micah's tragedy has left a lasting impact on people across the world, and even in his passing, the community remains united in grief but with unadulterated faith.