Diep grew up in Saigon, Vietnam and endured the many hardships that come with a war-torn country. Shortly after the Vietnam War, her husband Cuong was taken to a concentration camp and kept for four years. Diep was left to raise her daughters Nhu and Ngoc by herself and fight through poverty. During that time, her daughter Ngoc became ill and passed away at only 18 months old. Through the grief and sorrow of losing a child, Diep continued to stay strong and remained positive that her husband would be freed. When her husband was released from the camp, they made plans to escape Vietnam. After a few failed attempts, one night Diep and her family boarded a small boat with 42 other refugees and fled into the dark ocean. They endured four days and three nights of rough seas, hunger, and seasickness but finally arrived in Indonesia and were taken in by a refugee camp. From there, Diep and her family were sponsored by family that were already in the United States and were able to come to America. That was 33 years ago! “To many, my story seems hard, but to me it is a story of survival and of a mother and father doing whatever they can to make a better life for their children.”
Once Diep got her four daughters into school, she focused on educating herself. “Graduating from college is one of my life’s best moments. I received a degree in Occupational Therapy. It was a very proud moment for me because I thought that I could never do it. When I came to the United States, I did not know how to speak English. So, graduating with a degree was a huge accomplishment and a very proud moment. It opened doors for my future and allowed me to help provide for my daughters.” Diep now works seven days a week as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and works at various nursing homes in the Dayton area. She helps patients with performing daily routines such as bathing, dressing, cooking and exercising. She goes above and beyond for her patients, and is an advocate for patient care. Diep not only provides the best therapy for her patients, but she also treats them like family and cares for them on a personal level. “After my shifts at work are over, I stay late to help my residents. I cut their hair, sew their clothes, go shopping for them, and provide companionship.”
For Diep, somehow there are more than 24 hours in a day for her. She works long, hard hours, and she still finds time to take care of her family and friends. “In order to do everything that I want to do at work, for my residents, and for my family, I have to cut my personal time. I cut my leisure time and sleep. But my family is the most important people in my life and everything I do revolves around them. Everything I do is for them and to make their lives better.” Diep hopes that if she can help at least one person a day, even if it’s a small gesture, that its effects are passed on and that one small gesture starts a ripple effect of kindness and compassion.