Joshua Dang

As the youngest of seven children, Cường was his parents’ favorite child and was affectionately called Út, meaning “youngest”, among his family. When Cường was eight, his parents made the difficult decision to send all of their children to escape Việt Nam by boat. While at first, his parents wanted Cường to be the sole child to stay with them in Việt Nam because he was their youngest, they eventually decided he should go with his siblings for a better future in the United States. Though Cường parted ways with his parents at the tender age of eight, he often spoke deeply and dearly about his love for them throughout his adulthood.

Arriving in the United States as a refugee at age nine, Cường was raised without his parents. Despite the hardships he faced in his childhood, Cường graduated high school and attended community college in San Diego, California. In his young adulthood, he was responsible, goal-oriented and ambitious - aiming to build his career for a stable life. His employment ranged from working in sales with Disney on Ice to a successful career in real estate to a leadership position at Pechanga Resort Casino. He achieved home ownership and provided for his three children.

Above all, Cường was loyal and dutiful to his family and friends. He was known for his humor, big heart, and reliability. Before he started his own family, he was adored and loved by his many nieces and nephews as their “favorite uncle”. As a father, Cường created an environment for his children to thrive academically and socially. He enjoyed taking his family on vacation, going fishing with his youngest son Jayden, and singing Vietnamese karaoke. He was a good person who was always trying his best and always trying to get better.

Cường leaves behind his children, Jonathan (17), Catharine (15), and Jayden (12), his beloved dog Rufus, his six siblings, Khánh, Trâm Anh, Nga, Hoàng, Kim, and Chương, 16 nieces and nephews, and a host of friends to cherish his memories. He was preceded in death by his parents, Đặng Văn Tụng and Phạm Thị Miên.