Miracle Creek

Angie Kim

Miracle Creek

Angie Kim
60 pages2-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2019

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

A Korean immigrant who manages the Miracle Submarine HBOT facility alongside her husband. Formerly a philosophy student in Korea, she now manages her new life in America and the aftermath of a tragic fire at their clinic. She feels isolated from her husband and daughter, bearing a heavy burden of guilt and suspicion as the trial unfolds.

Key Relationships

Wife of Pak Yoo

Mother of Mary Yoo

Friend of Teresa Santiago

Acquaintance of Matt Thompson

Acquaintance of Elizabeth Ward

Witness for Abe

A medical doctor who was receiving HBOT treatments for infertility at the time of the explosion. He suffers from severe burns and the loss of two fingers due to the fire. He harbors personal insecurities regarding his marriage and infertility, making him a reluctant and defensive participant in the courtroom.

Key Relationships

Husband of Janine Cho

Secretly Connected to Mary Yoo

Fellow Patient of Henry Ward

Client of Pak Yoo

Witness for Abe

Cross-examined by Shannon

A dedicated mother to her daughter, Rosa, who has severe cerebral palsy. She acts as an empathetic force among the parents utilizing the HBOT chamber. She deeply understands the grueling physical and emotional toll of being a full-time caregiver to a child with severe disabilities.

Key Relationships

Mother of Rosa Santiago

Friend of Elizabeth Ward

Friend of Young Yoo

Fellow Mother to Kitt Kozlowski

Fellow Patient of Matt Thompson

Opponent of Ruth Weiss

An immigrant father and the primary operator of the Miracle Submarine HBOT facility. Previously separated from his family for four years as a wild-goose father working in Korea, he struggles with feelings of inadequacy and a lack of confidence in his English. He was paralyzed from the waist down while trying to rescue patients during the fire.

Key Relationships

Husband of Young Yoo

Father of Mary Yoo

Facility Owner for Matt Thompson

Acquaintance of Janine Cho

Questioned by Abe

Accused by Shannon

The teenage daughter of Pak and Young Yoo. She struggles deeply with her life as an immigrant in America, harboring resentment toward her mother for the bullying and loneliness she endured during their early years in the country. She suffers from severe PTSD following the explosion, which left her temporarily comatose and scarred.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Young Yoo

Daughter of Pak Yoo

Secretly Connected to Matt Thompson

Hostile Acquaintance of Janine Cho

Acquaintance of Teresa Santiago

Questioned by Abe

A devoted, exhausted mother currently standing trial for the murder of her autistic son, Henry. Prior to the fire, her entire existence revolved around managing Henry's rigorous therapy schedules and experimental treatments. She presents a remarkably calm, almost detached demeanor in court, drawing the ire of the public and the prosecution.

Key Relationships

Mother of Henry Ward

Former Friend of Kitt Kozlowski

Friend of Teresa Santiago

Client of Shannon

Prosecuted by Abe

Enemy of Ruth Weiss

Investigated by Detective Morgan Heights

Fellow Patient of Matt Thompson

Supporting Characters

Matt's wife and the daughter of a successful acupuncturist. She struggles with marital tension stemming from infertility issues and her husband's defensive behavior. As a Korean American, she frequently experiences and resents casual racism from those around her.

Key Relationships

Suspicious of Mary Yoo

Elizabeth's eight-year-old son who falls on the autism spectrum. He is considered a Super Responder to biomedical treatments, though his social difficulties remain present. He tragically perishes in the Miracle Submarine fire.

Key Relationships

Fellow Patient of Matt Thompson

A mother to a severely autistic son, TJ. She dies in the fire after catching flames while holding her son's helmet. Prior to the explosion, she had a complex, deteriorating friendship with Elizabeth stemming from their differing approaches to managing their children's autism.

Key Relationships

Mother of TJ Kozlowski

Former Friend of Elizabeth Ward

Kitt's severely autistic son who partakes in the HBOT treatments. He survives the fire but struggles with profound behavioral challenges and intense meltdowns.

Key Relationships

Son of Kitt Kozlowski

Teresa's daughter who has severe cerebral palsy. She survives the explosion with minor injuries.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Teresa Santiago

Elizabeth Ward's defense attorney. She aggressively cross-examines witnesses and attempts to shift the blame onto other potential suspects. She hopes to create reasonable doubt for her client.

Key Relationships

Defense Attorney for Elizabeth Ward

Opponent of Abe

The district attorney prosecuting Elizabeth Ward for murder and arson. He builds a steady narrative portraying Elizabeth as an abusive mother who wanted to be rid of her disabled child.

Key Relationships

Prosecutor of Elizabeth Ward

Opponent of Shannon

An anti-HBOT protestor who believes that parents should accept their autistic children rather than try to cure them. Her presence at the facility adds significant tension leading up to the fire.

Key Relationships

Protestor Against Elizabeth Ward

The detective who investigated the fire and prior reports of child abuse against Elizabeth Ward. She testifies about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the explosion.

Key Relationships

Investigator of Elizabeth Ward