By Daniel Hamon
Escaping persecution in Vietnam in 1978, Stephen Chau and his sister Melanie endured many trials. It was on their third attempt, after spending time in jail after their first unsuccessful attempt and barely avoiding capture during their second try, that their overcrowded boat with around 200 refugees left Vietnamese waters undetected by authorities. They left family behind, including their mother Kiet, without knowing if they would ever see them again – families fleeing the country after the fall of Saigon would split up in order to improve the chance of survival for at least one family member. Little did Stephen know that after three perilous years, his journey would eventually take him to Southern California where he would meet Judy, an Arkansas native, who would become a 2nd mother to him.
Their boat reached Malaysia but no one was allowed to disembark. They then headed for Singapore, where they were turned away by military boats. Indonesia also rejected them, but provided food and water. Finally they tried Malaysia again, a different region this time, and were allowed to anchor, but had to remain in their boat 20 miles away from shore.
Eventually, Red Cross officials got wind of their plight, and met them at sea. They interviewed the passengers and arranged for representatives of several governments to meet them. Stephen and Melanie were granted permission by the Swiss and U.S. governments to immigrate. Even though they heard from the United States two weeks after the Swiss, it was their first pick: “We knew it was the best choice,” said Stephen. His uncle had received military training in the US and had fought alongside elite US military units in Vietnam.
After all the paperwork was completed, Stephen and Melanie boarded a flight to Hawaii – they were headed for Connecticut where a family had agreed to host them. However, due to language difficulties, jetlag and a very long journey, the Chaus ended up missing their connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport.
Instead of the home in Connecticut, the two teens were placed in a foster home in East Los Angeles with eight other children, where they would spend the next 2 years. It was a rough neighborhood dominated by gangs. Conditions inside the home were poor. Social workers noticed the problems and started visiting regularly. They talked about sending each child to separate homes as the only way to solve the problems at the foster home. In the meantime, Stephen got word that his mother Kiet had made it safely to Taiwan. A social worker recommended that Stephen sponsor Kiet to immigrate to the United States.
While trying to petition for Kiet, Stephen was referred to the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Red Cross for additional assistance. There, Stephen and Melanie providentially met Judy for the first time.
Judy and her husband Ted lived in North Hollywood. Judy grew up in Arkansas where her father served
with the US military. Ted worked as a mechanical engineer in aerospace. Ted’s family originated from Taiwan. In an amazing coincidence, the character for Ted and Judy’s last name, Chow, which is quite rare in Taiwan, is identical to Steve Chau’s family name in the original Chinese.
After hearing Stephen and Melanie’s situation, Judy’s compassionate nature kicked into action: she not only agreed to assist them in petitioning for Kiet’s immigration to the U.S. but she personally assumed legal and financial responsibility for the Chaus to help ensure that they could be reunited with their mother.
While the immigration process unfolded, Ted and Judy wanted to get Stephen and Melanie out of the foster home because conditions there continued to deteriorate. They offered to adopt the Chaus and started building an addition to their home to make space for them.
When Kiet’s application for admission to the United States was granted much faster than expected, Judy quickly obtained a donation from a local church to buy Kiet’s plane ticket and found a house in Alhambra for the three reunited Chaus to help them get started in their new lives. Though they all decided that Stephen and Melanie’s adoption process was no longer necessary, Stephen and Melanie had come to view Judy as their surrogate mother.
Through the years, Stephen’s relationship with Judy and Ted grew stronger. They talked often, and spent holidays and vacations together every year. Stephen’s children called Judy “Grandma”. Judy always told Stephen and his wife that her house would always be their home.
After retirement, Judy continued helping others by volunteering to teach English to new immigrants through a local church until the fall of 2005 when, unexpectedly, Judy Chow passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Judy was a remarkable person with a big heart. She welcomed strangers into her life and home. With her love and selflessness, she made an amazing difference in Stephen’s life. Stephen is incredibly grateful for Judy’s “adoption” of him and his family during a confusing and difficult time in his life as a new immigrant. He will forever miss her.
Comments