As we considered couples, Shelly’s parents were our first choice, their story is quite unique and triumphant. Ngoanh & Tam, immigrants from Vietnam as a result of the “Fall of Saigon” in 1975, share their story in their own (translated) words.
Tam “My best friend had an older brother who was coming home from the war. She introduced me briefly. I didn’t think much of it. We were neighbors and I had seen him before but he was never home and I had never talked to him. I was maybe 19 or 20 at the time and my mother was very weak and ill. Being a single parent, my mother was afraid that she may not make it and that I would be alone, unmarried. My friend, brother and mother decided that the neighbor’s son would be a great person to marry. After a week of deliberation… permission & blessings, we were getting married!”
Ngoanh “I guess we are getting married.”
Tam “A few months later, we were married.”
Ngoanh “I was away a lot. This was during the time of social uprising and wars. It took its toll on the both of us.”
Nyoanh “After we arrived, the Malaysian government separated us, the men and boys from the women and girls. We had no idea what to expect, we did not know who would help us. We just had to survive. I worked in exchange for food by slaughtering chickens and whatever jobs I could do. Our youngest was 2 at that time (Shelly). We stayed at the camp for over a year before the United States accepted us as political refugees. After a long process, we arrived in Utah the winter of 1979. We were sponsored by a lovely family.”
Tam “We lived with the sponsored family for 6 months and moved out on our own. During that time, I had given birth to my son and we became permanent residences.”
Tam ” When the kids were little, I cleaned houses to help. We worked so hard to save for a down payment on our new home. I was so happy. Looking back, the interest rates were like 13%. We both worked full-time at different times so we didn’t have to pay for childcare. The kids were in school and all of us worked hard to assimilate.”
How did we fall in love? By living.” As I photographed Tam and Ngoanh in their home, heard their story a great level of emotions were felt. An incredible appreciation for their endurance, admiration for the host family that sponsored the Huynhs and pure awe. Culturally physical affection is not prominent, but the silent pride and love of what they two had accomplished, was strong and felt through their words I (literally) could not understand. Ngoanh & Tam will be celebrating there 43rd wedding anniversary this year.
Thank you Shelly for inspiring this project. And thank you Tam and Ngoanh for inviting me into your home and sharing your love story.
LOVE this idea and how it all turned out–beautiful.
So, so, so, sweet! Beautiful photography Heather! Love!
That picture of them smiling and laughing, sitting at the table is a perfect picture. They are all great.
SO beautiful and emotional!!!!
Heather, that photo of them at the kitchen table made me cry. That is incredible! So sweet!