From Refugee Camp to the American Dream

I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after the Vietnam War. Life was never easy. My mother passed away when I was only five years old, and my father did his best to raise me and my three sisters. But when I was thirteen, I lost him too. From that moment on, I had to grow up fast—learning how to survive and take care of my sisters on my own.

At a young age, I met the love of my life, Lee Lee, and we married. Providing for my new family in the camp was tough. Opportunities were rare, but I worked any job I could find, no matter how hard or dirty, as long as it meant bringing something home.

When we were told the camp was closing and that we would be moving to America, I was filled with hope. The Americans who visited always seemed wealthy, and I dreamed that if I could just get there, I too could create a better life for my family.

But when I arrived in America, reality hit hard. Bills piled up, and survival meant working nonstop. I managed to finish high school, even though I didn’t know the language. I tried college, but it was too difficult to keep up, so I dropped out and took a factory job making just $25,000 a year. My wife and I worked opposite shifts so we could both provide and care for our children. Many days, we only passed each other in the doorway as one came home and the other left. The dream of America quickly began to feel more like a nightmare.

I kept searching for opportunities. Different programs, businesses, and promises came my way, but each one ended in disappointment. Because of my limited English and lack of education, people promised to help me, but nothing ever worked. I even joined an insurance company years earlier and tried for my license. It took me 14 attempts before I finally passed the exam. But even then, I earned nothing—because I didn’t have a mentor. Eventually, I gave up on my dream.

That was until Visual came to talk to me. He asked me to trust him—not forever, but just long enough for him to prove himself. I didn’t even have the money to join, but I found a way. From the start, I made a decision: if I was going to do this, I would fully trust my leader. Whatever he asked me to do, I did it—even when I was nervous or unsure. Step by step, I began to learn the business.

Within four months of working only on weekends, I earned $25,000—the same as my entire yearly factory income. That’s when I realized: if I could earn that part-time, what could I do full-time? I took the leap of faith. Six months later, I earned my first $100,000 and received the FEG Championship Ring.

This business gave me my life back. It allowed me to be the husband and father my family needed. We moved out of the ghetto—where even parking a car outside wasn’t safe—and into a home where each of my kids finally had their own bedroom.

In 2023, I faced one of the toughest battles of my life. A severe gout attack turned into a dangerous infection in both of my legs. I was hospitalized for a month and unable to run the business for nearly six months. Yet during that entire time, my wife and I never had to worry about money or bills. The income kept coming because we had great leaders who stepped up and continued building the team. With a strong team, you create leveraged income and passive income that keeps paying—even when life knocks you down. That is the true power of this business.

Just last month, I closed on my dream home: more than 6,000 square feet, something I never thought would be possible for someone like me.

This business has given me more than financial freedom. It has given me hope, purpose, and the chance to help others the way I was once helped. And this new home isn’t just for my family—it’s a home for my team too.