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Vicky & Olivia at a recent exhibit entitled "Viet Nam in the 21st Century" at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
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Victoria, as maid of honor, at Olivia's wedding in 1989.
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"Count me in", I responded with excitement when my sister, Victoria told me about her plan to visit Viet Nam in 2004. It will be 25 years ago that we left Viet Nam. Yet to this day, we are filled with haunting memories. After many months of planning, our family received words that the boat ride with over 200 other Vietnamese, was scheduled to escape from My Tho at midnight on May 25, 1979. Somewhere between the small ferry that took us from the secret hiding place to a bigger boat, with all the pushing and shoving, Vicky and I got separated from my parents & my two younger brothers. We became frighten when the boat started moving and we realized that we were all alone among strangers. Suddenly I became the protector trying to comfort my little sister, Cam Huong, and promised her that we would find our parents soon. During the second night, a terrible storm raging, pouring water into our boat. At one point, the water reached our waists while we sat holding each other. I could not allow myself to cry because I had to be brave for my sister. We finally reunited with my parents on the third day of the journey. The horrid journey took about six days. We spent seven months in the refugee camp in Indonesia before coming to America in 1980.
Fast forward ten years later, May 1989. My little sister, who once cried in my arms during our escape from Viet Nam, graduated with a Master's degree in Social Work (M.S.W.) from New York University (NYU). Two years earlier, Vicky received her undergraduate degree from Hunter College and a full scholarship to attend NYU. (We became U.S. Citizens in 1986 and Cam Huong chose Victoria as her American name.) "Count me in", was what I promised Vicky in 1988 that after graduation (Vicky from NYU and I from Hunter College) that we would travel throughout Europe for 3 months. Instead, I got married in June 1989, and moved to Grand Haven, Michigan. Vicky traveled by herself and sent me postcards from London, Hamburg, Barcelona and every city in Europe. After her travel, Vicky accepted a position as Case Manager with a social agency and was solely responsible for the mental health program serving the needs of Asian American community. With her knowledge of Vietnamese & Chinese, Vicky was able to move to another position, overseeing the adoption program, within the same agency. Vicky served on the Board of Directors of many Asian American organizations, as volunteer for Special Olympics, and actively involved in promoting awareness of social programs available to Asian Americans.
Fast forward another ten years, 1999. In addition to her full time position with Visiting Nurse Service of New York, Vicky started providing services as eldercare consultant for older persons and families. Her condominium in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with a view of lower Manhattan, packed with photos and souvenirs from Scotland, Italy, Caribbean, Alaska & Scandinavia. Vicky continued to be involved in the community and recently, served on a panel as an expert in elder care at National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP-NY).
If the readers are getting impatient and wonder, "So what is so special about your sister's accomplishments?" Not much if it is not for the fact that my sister was born with muscular dystrophy. She was not able to walk until she was almost nine years old. She does not have any muscle strength in her legs. Even though Vicky walks normally, she cannot run or increase her pace. She cannot walk up the steps without holding on to someone or railing. So you see, that is the reason why my little sister is so special. She never allowed the physical barriers prevented her from achieving her education, her independence and her contributions to society. I wish the people who made negative comments about her physical challenge when she was a child could see the achievements my sister has accomplished. In the Asian culture, disabilities are viewed as a burden on society or a payback for all the criminal acts committed in past lives by the parents or the person who was born with birth defects. Vicky is a shining example of determination, strength from within and proof that obstacles only become barriers if we accept limitations. Victoria, I love you and Happy Birthday!
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