About Me

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About:

Greetings fellow earthlings! *snort snort*

Shortly after my family immigrated to the United States in 1991, my mother gave birth to a tiny 6 pound baby who never stopped crying, and had a strange obsession with watermelon, cheese and music…me.

Although I share one of the most common Vietnamese names in the world, I can assure you that I don’t necessarily share one of the most common personalities or background.
I was born to a large and obnoxiously loud, traditional Vietnamese family-with 5 uncles, 1 aunt, and lord knows how many cousins. This tight-knit family, of which I am number 173, is the reason why I have upheld so many strong ambitions for myself. Their undying love and support has molded me into the ninja-like warrior that I am and has fueled me with a passion to learn, love, and live as hard as I can.

I am so deeply fascinated with learning about different cultures that I often find myself picking up on Spanish linguistics, watching Bollywood cinema, and dancing to Korean pop music, just to name a few. I see knowledge as an intrinsic part of my life and community service as my true love. Ultimately, my dream is to get accepted into the Bilingual/Bicultural Speech-Language Pathology Program at the Teacher's College at Columbia University. It is my goal to become a Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist that works with victims who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries.

Among some of my other short term and long term goals are:
1) going to Spain
2) becoming fluent in Spanish and American Sign Language
3) becoming a master breakdancer/ hip hop dancer/ swag champion
4) volunteering in the Peace Corps
5) having 11 children (I kid you not)
6) and of course, completing a bike ride from Austin to Alaska in order to spread hope, knowledge, and charity to people who have been affected by cancer.

Why I Ride

My wise cousin, Quan, once told me, "If my life was ended abruptly and turned into a novel, I'd hope it'd be a book that everyone would want to read."

I've hated Cancer from the moment I've laid eyes on it and seen it strip away a person's source of happiness, leaving nothing but ashes and dark patches of grey in its wake.

When I was in high school, one of my close friends revealed to me that she had Leukemia and I was shocked. All I had known about cancer I had derived from the hit movie, A Walk to Remember, and here in front of me, stood a healthy, beautiful 16 year old diagnosed with cancer. She had been missing from school for several days, to which I remember thinking, "she's just being rebellious again," when in reality, she had been in the hospital, discussing with the doctors when she could begin her Chemotherapy treatment.

If there is one thing I've learned about Cancer, it is that it is unpredictable and merciless in its actions. I've heard about it affecting some of the members of a great service organization I'm a part of, S.M.I.L.E. Bucky Ribbeck, who is now the Ride Director for one of the routes in Texas 4000, and another person whose name I will not disclose. I had heard her testimonial at a cancer related event, and remembered crying after hearing all of the obstacles she had to go through. She had battled with cancer approximately 3-5 times since her undergraduate career at UT, and had to go through intensive chemotherapy treatment which halted her studies.

Thankfully, I've never personally known anyone who has passed away from cancer, but I've seen the mark that it has made on a number of people. It is impossible to eradicate all the pain and tears that have been shed for those who have experienced cancer, but where there is hope, there is a way. And I am more than hopeful that there is a future out there where cancer will not exist.

I want this ride to be a huge chapter in the novel that is my life, and for that, I ride for

-my Grandfather who passed away, leaving a legacy for my family to uphold
-my Grandmother who although passed, proved to be the strongest women I've ever known
-my loving Father and Mother who've sacrificed everything for my happiness and showed me the real meaning of unconditional love.
-And my family as a whole.

I ride for all the members in S.M.I.L.E and the children inpatient at Dell Children's Hospital.

I ride for the ONE AND ONLY TRIFAMILY: my sisters in Sigma Phi Omega, my brothers in Omega Phi Gamma, and my cousins in Delta Epsilon Psi.

Last but not least, I ride for everybody who has been affected by cancer-the elderly, the youth, the sick, the ambitious, the inspirational, the child who has lost 5 of his family members due to this horrible disease, the people who I've met, and the people I will meet along this ride. I ride for a cure.