| It was the month of October in 1980 (nearly a year after Thuan was born and five years since the Fall of Saigon) when his family and village neighbors decided to leave their home in Vietnam for good. They didn't know where to go or know anybody beyond the borders of Vietnam. Leaving Vietnam meant that there was no turning back. Their business was destroyed during the war and for five years, they mourned in misery. From being highly successful to becoming the scum of society was a dramatic change for millions of South Vietnamese citizens. The war brought devastation to the country as brothers and sisters fought against each other. Thuan's father, Dan Tang, was hospitalized for post traumatic war syndrome after seeing his two best friends blown apart by land mines. His mother, Kim Tang, had to quit her job to raise Thuan and his older sister Kelly. Everyone was in misery and all they wanted was a normal peaceful life. For years, everyone wept in agony. For years, they desparately comforted and supported each other. For years, they wanted to fight back for what was taken from them. Nothing seemed fair anymore. The air they breathed was polluted and the water they drank was contaminated with microorganisms. The hills nearby became a haunted area of dead soldiers instead of a place for children to play in. The rice fields were bombarded with bombs and nothing was left except the ashes of the dead. Bien Hoa, Vietnam was hell. The people needed to act immediately or else, forever they would suffer. |
