Thi Quang Lam had already lived a lifetime when he arrived in the United States in 1975 as a refugee. He was only 45 and had spent a quarter century in the South Vietnamese army as a senior military officer fighting the Communist North. In exile in California, Thi Quang Lam achieved extraordinary things but never quite moved on from his bitterness at losing his country. Thi Quang Lam died of COVID-19 on Jan. 19. His son, Vietnamese American writer Andrew Lam, talks to Carol Hills about his father’s remarkable life and how their lives intersected but also diverged in significant ways.
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.