Mike Lam Cao

Mike was born as Cao Van Mao on June 26, 1965 in his hometown of Bac Lieu, South Vietnam, where he grew up as the youngest of nine children. As a teenager, a few years after the end of the Vietnam War, he escaped the country as a refugee by boat and was saved by a passing ship after being lost for one week at sea. Afterwards, he settled in America, where he met and married his wife, Lisa, in Houston, Texas. Two years after the birth of his son, he and his family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he and his wife have lived for the past thirty-seven years.

Mike was always kind-hearted, patient, and selfless. He came to America with nothing and worked hard to not only build a life for himself and his family but to also support those he loved back in Vietnam. As a devoted husband, with unmatched strength and self-sacrifice, he has acted as the main caregiver to his ill wife for over the past sixteen years. Regardless of his circumstance, his love and generosity for the people he cared about was truly unconditional.

In addition to his wife of thirty-nine years, Lisa, he is survived by his son, Andy Cao, his brother and sister-in-law, Tri and Tammy Doan, his nephew, Thai Doan, and his sisters and extended family in his hometown in Vietnam.

A funeral service for Mike will be held Monday, February 17, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Dr, Durham, NC 27713. Following the funeral service will be a committal from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM at External Service Location, Raleigh Memorial Park, Raleigh, NC 27612.