Bà Nội, 

If our hug was strong enough to hold you stay with us, we would start now and never stop. 

A great wave of sadness sweeps over us because we are losing you! 

We don't know us each other personally but we feel  so much about you and your life through dad's story.

We love you so much Grandma and keep you in our hearts forever.

Your Grandchildren.
Khang, Quynh



Mom,  there are no words that can describe how we miss you. Your life is aways a light on our path.

We embrace you with all our hearts.



[Final] 

 Later, even as your memory started to slip away, you still showed you cared deeply. You would wake up early before my flights back to California, and you’d come quietly into my room and try to hand me a $20 bill. “Take it,” you’d whisper, and my heart would ache at how you’d always  try to care for me. I’d ask you to hold on to it to keep it safe for me, it was the only way to get you to keep it for yourself. You’d then shuffle out with me to the door, and we’d hug, and you’d watch me go into the garage. I’d turn around, and I’d see you standing there still, watching me until I would be out of sight. At times, I’d catch you wipe a tear from your eyes. I always wondered if you were scared that would be the last time we’d see each other. I was scared too. And so from then, I took photos of us together every time we’d see each other again. Here are some of them. 

I miss you so much grandma. I will always love you the most. 


[Part 3/3] 

You taught me love and compassion. I remember you allocating a few 1,000 dongs every couple of days for me to give to the homeless. From a young age, you empowered me to be compassionate and to extend myself to the less fortunate. Whenever you saw someone begging on the street from afar, you would hand me a bill and ask me to walk over to hand it to them. You taught me what it was like to feel for, care for, and love others, even if they were strangers. You showed me how one is supposed to love for and care for their family. You took care of mom and I when we had nowhere else left to go. You filled the role of my second parent when the other was missing. You never resented the role or even questioned it. You showed us that is just what you do for family. That is what you do when you love: you care for them, you make them feel safe, you support them. As I grew, you continuously did so for me every moment we shared together, even when you grew older and weaker, even when your memory slipped away from you. Later when you came to join us in America, you would wake me up every day for school, you would sit with  me and help me fold all of my clothes, you would cook for me and eat with me when I was lonely. Even when your eyes grew dim, you would hem all of my pants for me with neat, beautiful stitches. I still have them and don’t wear them anymore to preserve their stitches, but they are still perfect. When I left for college, you would talk to me on the  phone everyday -- you would tell me that it  was ok if I did poorly on an  exam, and that I would do better on the next one, or that my first heartbreak was going to be ok, because I will be able to overcome the pain. You always made sure I knew I would be ok, and I was, because I had you. 

[Part 2/3] 

You taught me to the fearless and resilient. I loved hearing your stories growing up: of you when you were young, of you during the first war, then the second war. I still remember laughing with you when you told stories of being kidnapped during the war, and when they threatened that you would have to jump from a bridge or marry a kidnapper, you chose to jump...and survived. I cried at hearing your story of seeing your family and neighbors flee when the war first came. I was shocked by how you had to bury your father by yourself soon after, and gathered enough to bribe fishermen to take your younger sister to a neighboring village to safety, and realizing that you were alone from such a young age. I marveled at the keloids on your back which marked your bullet wounds. As I grew, I was always awed by how at the face of any obstacle, you stayed calm, kept perspective, and found resilience to move forward. It is not hard to understand how you were able to do so, given everything you’ve overcome. Yet it is very surprising, because very few can overcome such tremendous adversity with such grace, yet still retain their humor, clarity, and optimism. You were full of poise, grace, wisdom, and resilience. You were courageous and powerful. You set an example that I am still striving for to this day. 


[Part 1/3] 

Ba Ngoai, 

There are no words that are adequate enough to express the deep sadness I feel at your loss from this world. You were not only my grandma, you were my best friend, my role model, and my hero. You made me so much of who I am and shaped so much of how I see the world. You taught me about courage, determination, and compassion through your example. You made me feel safe, supported me unwaveringly, and showed me unconditional love. I loved our bond -- getting to whisper to you “I love you the most,” and you whisper back “I love you the most too.” No one has ever been as special to me as you are. I miss you so much. 

I am who I am and have achieved everything I have because of you. You will always be a part of me. 

You taught me independence. I remember our daily walks through the streets of Saigon to the markets. I remember you letting me pick out which fish we’d buy for dinner. I remember you holding my hand as we crossed the street to take me to the neighborhood school. You walked me everyday to school and was never late to pick me up from class. You made sure I went to school even when others thought I was too young. Rather, you were proud that I was the “baby of the class.” It didn’t matter that I was young, or a girl, or that we were poor. You instilled in me that my education was natural and my right. Because of you, I never questioned if I should be educated. Rather, I always believed that I had to be educated. Because of you, I have always unquestioningly strove to advance my education to the highest degree at every level. My Stanford diplomas are yours. My doctorate is yours. You have achieved them as much as I have, because I would have never been able to do so without you teaching me the determination and independence that pushed me to attain them. 



Dear Grandma,
We were young when we visited you and our memories are faint. Yet we can speak of your pure love and constant self-sacrifice for the family. 

We mourn that our paths did not continue to cross, for us to get better acquainted. Thank you for raising our dad to the person he became today. 

We wish you a peaceful journey to whatever comes next. Neither fire, wind, or death can erase your good deeds. We are forever obliged.

Your Grandchildren,
Anh Thu, Minh Thy, Huy 


Me kinh yeu cua cac con.

Mo a may hom nay hinh anh Mo cu quay cuong trong con ngay ca trong giac ngu. Con nho Mo that nhieu
roi luc gan day khi lay Bo tat Quan the Am thi con lai thay dau do hinh anh cua Mo. Roi bao nhieu ky niem thoi tho au cua 
chung con lai quay ve. Nho lam Mo a nhung ngay anh em con buoi chieu ra ngo don Mo ve. A. Quang con hay be em Tuyet ra don Mo. Thay chung con 
Mo cuoi that tuoi roi em chung con da ra di va nhung ngay sau do nhung buoi chieu don Mo con da thay giong nuoc mat chay dai tren ma Mo 
khi Mo khong thay em con tuy luc do con nho nhung con van cam duoc su dau don vi mat em con cua Mo. 
Roi khi Gia Dinh ta vao SG Mo lai ngay dem tren xe rong ruoi voi nhung gang hang Sai Gon Quang Ngai de lo cho GD.
Mo vat va that nhieu nhung chung con da khong bao gio nghe o Mo mot loi than van. 
Mo tham lang hy sinh cho anh em con. Con rat nhieu nua Mo a.
Roi nhung nam gan day suc khoe va tri nho Mo da giam sut den noi khi Thu dua Mo di cho cung chung con luc do con thay Mo cam mot cai ao
Mo noi "muon co mot cai de cho con toi". Oi tinh me vi dai qua tuy da quen va khong nhan ra con nua nhung trong tam Mo van con nho den 
con cua Mo
Gio day Mo nam do nhin hinh Mo con thay Mo that binh yen. Mo a ca doi Mo da vat va va hy sinh vi chung con qua nhieu roi gio la 
luc Mo nghi ngoi va ve doan tu voi Ba va em phan con lai cua Mo nhung giot mau Mo van song trong chung con va nhung the he tiep noi.
Con van biet hang ngan loi xin loi Mo hang trieu loi cam on Mo cung khong noi duoc su hy sinh vo bo ben, cong on duong duc
sinh thanh cua Mo nhung chung con van xin Mo tha loi cho nhung loi lam cua chung con va neu den doi sau kiep sau thi Mo lai cho chung
con lam con cua Mo nha Mo.
Mo ra di binh yen. Chung  con ben nay se song that tot va lo cho cac chau cua Mo that tot de Mo yen tam.
Viet cho Mo nguoi me ma chung con yeu kinh nhat tren doi.
Gia Dinh chung con Hanh Thuy xin cui dau danh le tien dua Mo ve voi Ba va em Tuyet.

Cảm ơn Mẹ
Người đã cho con cuộc đời này


Lời nói đầu tiên con gởi đến Mẹ là lời tri ân của người con,. Cảm ơn ông Trời đã cho con có được một người Mẹ tuyệt vời, người đã không quản khó khăn, gian khổ, chăm sóc nuôi dạy đàn con. Chúng con luôn ghi nhớ công ơn biển trời của người. Nhớ ngày nào chúng con còn bên Mẹ, nay chúng con đã vĩnh viễn mất Mẹ, một sự mất mát to lớn không gì bù đắp được nhưng chúng con vẫn cảm nhận hơi ấm, tình thương mà Mẹ đã dành cho con, cháu. 
Nguyện ước của con đã được ông Trời ban cho, con rất hạnh phúc được cùng Thu chăm sóc cho Mẹ những ngày cuối đời. Con cảm ơn gia đình, cảm ơn hai em Thu Phúc, Mi, Ti đã tạo cho anh cơ hội, cảm ơn Y, Bác Sĩ đã giúp đỡ Mẹ tôi, cảm ơn nước Mỹ quê hương thứ hai của tôi, cảm ơn mọi người đã giúp đỡ. Cảm ơn!
Giờ Mẹ hãy yên tâm ra đi, yên nghỉ Mẹ nhé. Con nhớ Mẹ nhiều. Mẹ của con!.
Thông


Mom, I miss and love you very much. You are forever in my heart . 
Con gai, 

RIP Mrs Truong we definitely missed you! 
Yours
Teresa Nguyễn 

Dear Grandma,

Thank you for being an anchor for my mother and bringing the best out of my sister and I. You've been a light during my dark days, and I am so glad that you were a part of my life. Thank you for raising me and giving me your unconditional love.

Love,
Titi

OBITUARY

Xuan Thi Truong

June 12, 1926 – September 9, 2020

Greenwood Memorial Park & Funeral Home

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