Instructor Escapes Communist Country
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Health Center Jennifer James Sports See Pg. 10 I Thunderward volume 25, Number 10 Highline Community College May 16,1986 Instructor escapes communist country by Gene Jones communists... and so they hid me," Nguyen said. Six years ago.Tri Nguyen. aHCC Nguyen, who lived in a mansion Math and Computer Science instruc-prior to being put in jail, returned tor, slipped secretly awayfrom home to find the communists had communist controlled Vietnamin a displaced his wifeand children, small, crowded,wooden boat. relocating them to a small, humble Nguyen said he and his eight- hut. year-old son preferredto die in the Knowing that it would not be long ocean than live under the deplora- before he was caught,Nguyen con- ble conditions their family expe- sidered two difficult decisions: he rienced in Vietnam. could remain in Vietnam and even- "I prayed and believed for a mir- tually be caught and killed by the acle. The first miracle was getting communists; or he could risk the out of Vietnam; the secondmiracle perils of an Ocean voyage to free- was getting my family out of Viet- dom. The latter seemed moremer- nam," said Nguyen. ciful. offeringhim at least a c-hance :<guyen's adversity began with to survive. th fail of South Vietnam in 1975. In 1979, Nguyen made arrange- Nguyen, who was a college instruc- ments for a clandestine exit from tor in Saigon, was thrown into jail communist controlled Vietnam. He because of his father's affiliationwith and his eight-year-oldson boarded the South Vietnamese government.the small, woodenboat, packed with It was only 15 days after the over- over 80 other refugees. The boat throw of South Vietnam that Nguyen wasnot designed for that many was placed under arrestand forced passengers and ran out offresh into a concentrationcamp 100 miles water after two days. After sixdays, from his home in Saigon. there was no fuel left to run the Nguyen said he spent two and engine. From then on, the coarse of one-half yearsin jail where many of the vessel was directed by the Tri Nguyen tells of his dramatic escape Photo by Isy Anaya his friends committed suicide, for waves and the current. Nguyen said. the living conditions were unbear- He said all along the voyage theyprayed, the rain came, and every- the Vietnamese government. able and the hope of survival nil. saw the overturned boats of other one took out theirclothing to gather Nguyen, who met the Pope years His wife's family tried to escape refugees thathad gone before them. the water to drink."Nguyen said. earlier, when the Pope was only a the communistswith their valuables He guessed that 99 percent of the The small boat had drifted close Cardinal, wrote letters to the Vati- shortly after the fall of South Viet- "boat people" refugees died in the to an Indonesian island when a can requesting thePope meet with nam, but they were caught and lost ocean. large wave overturned it, casting all him. In 1985, Nguyen met the Pope everything. Nguyen said they lost "In my boatabout 30 people of the refugees into the sea. "we during his visit to Canada. and the nearly 1 ,ooO pounds of gold. died," he said. Most of the women tipped over there (nearthe island of Pope said he would intercede on Nguyen said he was fortunate andchildren were not strong Aray), but we were lucky for it was Nguyen's behalf. Nguyen said the his wife managed to hide some enough, and after dying, theywere closeto a beach. So we landed Pope interceded for other families, money in the ground. For with the cast overboard. safe...," he said. but he was unsuccessful, and they little money they had. he bribed Nguyen and his sonboth became Nguyen and his son were later were not allowed to leave the coun- prison guards into allowing him to sick due to the extreme conditions rescued and sponsored to come to try. -+ escape. which they suffered. The thought the US by St. Columba's Episcopal Nguyen studied English at HCC Nguyen dodged the communists came to Nguyen thathe should cast Church in Des Moines. and is now employed as a part- by slipping secretly from one friendshimself into the sea before dying in On ~pril25, 1986, Nguyen and time Math and Computer Science house to the next,knowing all along front ofhis son. his son were reunitedwith the rest instructor at HCC and the UW. He he would be shot if he was cap After six days with no food or of his family. They were permitted graduated with his Ph.D. from Sor- tured. Nguyen's friends were more water, miraculously, while praying, to leave Vietnam after Pope John bonne, Paris and has taught in both than hospitable. "They hate the it rained. "I praise the Lord, After I Paul II interceded on their behalf to Paris and Wigon. room 203. contending the rest of the building When the new samples were tests are lessthan one percent. So I returned after two weeks, they asked him tosend me aletter. I Asbestos :Causefor concern? showed asbestos levels of less thanwant it next week: I just can't sur- one percent. HCC is not required vive on thevague information. I under the presentcode to treat cell. want the information on letterhead by Lori Hofmann between one and two percent by ing material at that level as hazard identifying each of the areas thathe volume in the ceiling material taken ous. tested.Once I getthat letter, I'm Robin Fritchman, Director of Facilefrom the north corner wall of room However, on the morning of May going to standfirmly on it." ities, is concerned about theasks 203. After investigating the method 8, Fritchman received a phone call "We aretrylng to gethard figures tos levels in HCC ceilings. of analysis, Fritchman requested from Davis clalming the test results in writing that we can act upon in "Look, 1 really am concerned further sampling and a more sophis; from Bldg. 8. showed asbestos lev- an effective manner becauseI just about the potential health hazard;' ticated test, polarized Ilght mlcros els of five percentby weight. Frltch- don't have the proper information," Fritchman said. "Hey, if there is no copy (MIASP). man said, "The differencebetween said Fritchman. health hazard, that's fine.If there is, An industrial hygienest,Mr. Davis, one percent and five percent isn't He said he has also found there that's fine, too, becauseI know there took more samples from room 203 thatsignlficant, but then the law ls a need to call in a private indus is one and I can get rid of it." wlth the MIASP, and forwarded the says if it is less than one percent, trial hyglenist company to test all On March 7,asbestos testswere new samples to'the Department of you don't have to worry about it. the ceilings In all 30 bulldings on taken In Bldg. 10, room 203. The Environmental Health at the Univer-But if it is one percent or over,you campus to check asbestos levels first test results received from the slty of Washington. Frltchman added have totreat it as If it were 100 State Department of Labor and samples from the malntenance/stor- percent." See Asbestos, page 2 Industries indicated asbestos levels age room in Bldg 8 to those from Frltchman sald, "He (Davis)Is still c page 2 News Thunderword Perkins leaving print shop for different type really enjoy creativity." "it'd take somekxi>-a whilc tu walk in and got arijustvti tuthc viiri. ety of things and tlle\wricbt>* ot p:r- sonalitics involveti." shv SW. !)ut "I've always considercbclIll)*sc.lt rc'. placeable." Perkins's lastria)* \vi11 1)c. JUI~C. I 2. "Graduation is m)' last dtr)* txcause 1 tiitin't want to quit on Friday thc. 13th." shc. said l'rrkins said she's not superstitious. Shr chose c7 Thursday lx*c.aus;c. **\+'hy tx normal and quit on il 12riday?*' stw said. During the inten'icw. Ka)* t%anrit. a sccretary in HCCs 1'uL)Iic Intorrna- tion office. brought her computt'r diskettes to Perkins'office. Sonic- thing Brandt tried at the terminal didn't work. and Perkins jumpcd to Photo by Todd Kalamar help her. I'he two worked quietly together until they solved the prob J times was when I broke both my burnout." lem. Perkins smiled. anti the braces I, arms." the five fmt. nine inchphoto- "She has her moments where. she's having removedon May 28. a typesetterlaughed. "My bicycle particularly when everything is corn- month before her wedding showed. didn't like me. I hit a curb andtried ing down onher atone time ... those "Okay. you've got it." she said. to do a Superman over the handle- are real trying on her," Whipple said. "Thank you, Kathy." Brandt said. bars. I busted both elbows." Shesaid However. considering the pressure her students had to help typeset involved. few people couldhave "We work quite a bit together." then because it hurt to type. But stayed with the job as long as Per- Brandt said, after Perkins gave her she was backat work a week after kins has. he stressed. a hug "She's a friend.a good worker. the accident. and I love her. I'm going to miss Perkins also instructs and super- "1 came in not knowing if I could her." Although she laughed as she vises students in phototypesetting Whipple iswell aware of the do it." Perkins said"I'm leaving know- spoke, Brandtwas clearly serious.