We called Saigon, Vietnam, home until April 1975, when the fall of Vietnam to the communist regime forced us to seek refuge in the United States. With the support of the U.S. government, we were able to leave Saigon and find safety at Fort Chaffee, an army base in Arkansas.
My parents eventually settled in Syracuse, New York, a place with personal significance as my father had attended college in the 1970s. They spent many happy years there, raising a family and building a life. After my father’s retirement, they moved to Sugar Land, Texas, seeking a warmer climate and the company of dear friends and acquaintances.
Following my father’s passing, we supported my mother in her decision to embrace an independent lifestyle at Brier Pointe Retirement community in Morrisville, NC. It was a place where she could continue to thrive surrounded by a supportive community.