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Young Man Dies Trying to Save His Cell Phone

In January 2014 a 26-year-old man died after he fell into the frigid waters of the Chicago River. Shortly after midnight, Ken Hoang, a visitor from St. Paul, Minnesota, and two of his friends were taking photos of the river when he dropped his cell phone onto the ice below. He climbed over a railing onto the ice but fell into the water. One of his friends, Laruen Li, then dropped down onto the ice to rescue him but she also slipped into the river. When she yelled for help, another friend also stepped onto the ice and fell into the water, police said.

Ken Hoang was later pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Lauren Li, who had been missing since early Monday morning, was pulled from the water two days later and pronounced dead. The third friend, 23-year-old Phan Hoang, was hospitalized and released. Phan Hoang wrote on his Facebook account: "Life's too short. I hope no one would ever have to go through something so unfortunate such as what has happened [to us]."

The day after the tragedy, NBC Chicago was interviewing people about the tragedy. A young woman said, "I guess I can understand the impulse. Your cell phone is sort of part of you, we are kind of tied to it. But it's only a cell phone. To risk your life is incredible."

Possible Preaching Angles: This young man and his friends risked it all and gave their lives to save a cell phone. This illustration shows what not to risk your life for, but it also sets up a deeper, positive question: What would you risk your life for?

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