Moving to Edmonton from Vietnam, by Thuc Cong

It was a fine fall morning. The sky was clear and the weather was beautiful as compared to the previous fall. The temperature was about fourteen degrees C, just perfect for a walk on the fallen autumn leaves. While I was dreaming about that walk, a student came to me hesitantly said: “Sorry to interrupt your work but I would like to let you know that I want to frame THAT.” My eyes followed his index finger. THAT was my framed article “How My Dreams Come True,” published in the Journal several years ago. I had used my honorarium to frame it and hang it in the library where I worked. Somebody accidentally had broken the glass top or purposely broke it to vent his or her frustration. I had used some clear tape to keep the broken pieces together. Amazed by his suggestion, I replied: “You want to frame THAT?” The gentleman calmly nodded and explained: “Your article inspires me so much. I want everybody else to enjoy it. May I get your permission to take the frame?” After I agreed, he left with the frame and came back two days later with a brand new frame. He assured me that the glass would not be broken again as it was made of plexi-glass. Left alone in the afternoon with a mixture of feelings, I stared at the new frame, so moved. As a student, he did not have much money but wanted to spend some on framing somebody’s work. His deed made me think that in this cyberspace era, human kindness cannot be replaced with chips or bits and bytes. This story comes back to my mind after ten years and it urges me to put my feelings into writing.


As the 100th birthday of our city is coming, I think a lot about the stories that touched my hearts in the past decade. Some of heart stories came from a devoted father who tried to find the body of his son in the cold weather, from of hundreds of Albertans who tried their best to save the life of Peter Jang, a teenager who had acute leukemia, and from a childless couple who have been trying to help young people reach their educational goals.


In the Spring of 1995, Hysaya Okumiya fell into a hole in the ice of the Mill Creek ravine and died. His father, Dave Okumiya, frantically searched for his son’s body despite the concern of the city for his safety. Supplied with heavy equipment and appropriated ropes, axes, power auger, Dave, along with dozens of volunteer searchers and city workers, searched for the body of the little boy wishing he could hold his son as soon as he could. He did not rest until he found the son. Good people -- most of them do not know the Okumniyas – and the good father made the impossible happen. The story moved the entire city for a long time. At Hysaya’s ceremony, as I looked at the tiny man who timidly thanked us for coming and supporting his family during their hard times, I could not believe the size of the courage in him. Now, Hysaya is honoured with a star at the Edmonton Space and Science Centre but there is a star as brilliant as his – his father’s heart.


Edmontonians did not extend their kindness towards helping people find a body only. They also tried their best to prevent any death that threatened. When the Jangs announced Peter’s acute lymphoblastic leukemia, his schoolmates at Vernon Barford raised a fund for him hoping he could go to the States for an out-of-country treatment for which Alberta Health Care refused to pay. Again, Albertans showed their care and generosity.


In little more than a week, $72, 000 was raised. Unfortunately, Peter did not have a chance to go for that treatment. He died shortly after but his hope did not die with him. Several months later, that hop was passed on to Lance Relland who suffered the same situation – the need of out-of-country treatment for his leukemia. Peter’s mother gave Mrs. Relland Peter’s personal funds as well as most of the money from the Peter Jang Memorial Fund hoping the money which did not help Peter would help Lance. The Rellands got both the financial and moral support.


This financial and moral support did not stop at the medical field. It also went into the educational field. Creating their own money to carry out the philosophy of helping people reach their goals, the Tymkos quietly used their hard-earned money to help poor students attend university. Frank Tymko wanted to give people the chance that he did not have of attending university. Since his dream was interrupted by his poverty, Frank gave $4,000 scholarship each year to the financially needy high school students. Tymko Scholarship did not come from easy money. In fact, it came from blood, sweat, and tears of the honest man.


We hope these good people and their spirits will go on to influence our Edmontonians. I strongly believe that by the year of 2005, Edmonton will become a perfect sanctuary for everybody, especially immigrants. As long as we stay strong-willed and each one cares for another the way we are now, our city will be a place of love, filled with good hearts and good deeds.