A FAMILY’S JOURNEY
By Chris Wadsworth
There’s a famous expression – “Everyone has a story.” And it’s true. We all have ups and downs and highs and lows in life. But not everyone was born in a war-torn country, had their mother and brothers imprisoned, fled from their homeland in a boat and started life over in a new country on the other side of the world.
This is the tale told by David Truong – and he thought it important enough at least for his own family and friends that there be a record of it.
Truong, who lives in Ashburn’s Broadlands neighborhood with his wife and two children, wrote a book called “Escape to America.” It documents his family’s flight from communist Vietnam in 1977.
“The story does have some unique arcs – Vietnam War, losing a nation, harrowing escape, lost at sea, living on an island, starting over in America,” Truong said. “But it’s also about the people. A brilliant father with some major flaws … a mother who was a ‘beauty queen’ destined for fame, but chose to be a mother instead … a brother who was a hero, but had no idea that he was one.”
In the book, Truong recounts visiting his mother in a Saigon prison after the family’s first escape attempt. He recalls his father giving his older brother two guns – a Colt revolver and a Beretta semi-automatic – and telling him to shoot any enemy soldiers who might come while he was away.
And then there is the time when David and his older sister, Amy, were home alone with two of their siblings and an irate North Vietnamese soldier pounded on the door demanding entry and peering in the windows.
“Amy took command with calmness,” he wrote. “In a hushed but steady voice, she told us to stay in bed, close our eyes and pretend to be asleep. We obeyed without question, just in the nick of time as a harsh beam of light sliced through the darkness. His flashlight landed on our faces — I remember feeling its heat on my cheek, even with my eyes closed. ‘I can see you!’ he bellowed. ‘I demand you open the door!’”
Fortunately, the soldier ultimately left them alone, but the memory is embedded in Truong’s psyche – as is so much of his family’s journey.
Today, he looks back with appreciation on what his parents did for the family. Because of their sacrifices, he was able to grow up in Northern Virginia, attend Falls Church High School and George Mason University and become a lawyer.
“It helped me understand the depths of my parents’ love for their children. They didn’t let scary things or hard things get in the way of creating a better life for their children,” Truong said.
It took this first-time author 10 years to finish “Escape to America” – with some starts and stops along the way. He watched YouTube videos on self-publishing, and the book is available at online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
“I wrote this book first for my family – preserve the stories for future generations,” he said. “But also for anyone who has stumbled and needs encouragement to get up again, for those searching for hope in the midst of hardship, and as a reminder that love and faith conquer all.”