Tuhia he tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I whānau mai i Hoi An, Vietnam ki ngā mātua he kaiako reo, i mawhiti a Duong me tōna whānau i te whakapae a te Communist o Saigon
i runga i tētahi rererangi utanga o Amerika e toru rā i mua i te hinganga o te Republic of (South) Vietnam. I taua wā, he 16 tau te pakeke e tata ana ki te tohu i te kura tuarua, i te Poutu-te-rangi 1975 i riro mai i a ia te Tohu Whakahonore a te Perehitini o Vietnam ki te Tonga mo nga tuhinga, ana i whakaarohia kia tohua ko te National Valedictorian e te Manatū Mātauranga mo tana GPA tino pai me te raarangi a motu.