Kacy Nguyen Memorial

Our beloved Kacy’s (Kacy Nguyen Thi Kim Chi) time on Earth is no longer.  Kacy was the most  loving, caring, and unselfish person.  Each person has their own journey, and Kacy’s was so special. 

Born June, 1975 in Vung Tau VN, orphaned, adopted at 2 years old by her loving Mom (and Dad), and then immigrated to the USA (Bronx, NY) at 7yo.  There, her fondest memories was playing in the hallways, sleeping in their tiny apartment’s living room (needing to rent out the bedroom to help make ends meet), joking with her Mom, and fighting with the neighboring boys.  She would always say that she was proud to be “from the Bronx”, and beat up the boys if they were obnoxious. 

Thereafter, she/they moved to OC CA at age 12, lived a humble life, and eventually graduated High School.  She shared that her high school years were very simple, uneventful, as her dad would always made her go home after school.  Yet Mom was always home awaiting, cooking warm food, and caring for her.

Her early years at Cal Poly Pomona, CA (undeclared major), was punctuated after two years, when trouble brewed at home, and Mom split up with Dad.  She then worked as a porter at a car dealership, and then at BofA on the phone in customer service.

And that is when she met her future husband in January 1997, at age 21.5.  Kacy was always very respectful of the VN culture, respectful of others, loving, caring.  Following all tradition, they wed in Church in December 1998, and eventually settled in their new home in January 2001 in Irvine.  She worked as an executive assistant at URS, Inc. (NYSE:URS), and then at Nikken, Inc.  Kacy also became a sister in 1997 to Kaylee; Mom was so happy!

As a daughter-in-law, Kacy was the sweetest, most respectful, happy and considerate person.  To her in-law parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles… she would always appear at home gatherings, holidays, weddings, and birthdays until her health no longer allowed.

Kacy was always so generous, sharing and contributing to the household whatever she had… her annual work gifts of $100 she would always gift to her husband.  She loved hosting parties at their home for their friends, sitting in the front porch swing drinking Boba, and sleeping in late on weekends.

At age 34 (April 2009), they gave birth to two wonderful fraternal twins, Maxxum (Hung) and Maverick (Hieu).  I recall pushing her around in a wheel chair doing Day After Thanksgiving shopping at midnight, because her tummy was just so big; how ironic.

Her motherhood life was 1000% devoted to her kids, and yet was always an honorable person as a wife, daughter, sister, and in-law.

As with her own journey, her marriage ended amicably; what else would we know otherwise but amicably from Kacy?  She continued to be a full time Mother. 

When Max and Mav were 5yo, the horrible news of her bad intestines was discovered (October 2014).  She was a fighter, the most ever.  Always smiling.  Most would never know she had Cancer.  For those 6y3m, her kids were her sole motivation for fighting on.  Colon surgery, colostomy, colostomy reversal, spread to lungs, radiation, chemotherapy. 

Her boys were always by her side, and she was always taking care of them, taking them to trips, Europe, Target shopping… always with them by her side; an incredible Mom.

Well, “it” finally spread to her Lungs, and the final months and hours proved the kind of person that Kacy was.  Dozens visited her at home, re-visited, gave and sent gifts from out of state, GrubHub’s, home cooking, even her boys received gifts to reflect the kind of Mom she was.  Family, friends, colleagues, all had well wishes.  No one ever had one thing non-positive to say of her.  For over 6 years, Kacy’s journey continued with “it”, yet always fighting, holding on for her kids.

And finally, her final word, “sleep”, barely recognizable, mumbled to me, to remind me of the boys’ bedtime.  I repeated “sleep”, and she barely nudged a nod. 

Maybe that word was foretelling also… that that was her final evening on Earth (Jan 2, 2021) to finally go to sleep, rest, and not worry, and not struggle any more.

May our dear beloved Kacy, finally rest in peace, January 3, 2021, 7:30AM.

Kacy is survived by Max and Mav, her former-husband, and her sister.

(My personal words to all of Kacy’s family and dear friends… you are the best.  A sincere heartfelt thanks to you all.  Even after her “sleep”, you continue to support the boys and me.  Kacy always told me about who visited, called, texted, your gifts, your time, your thoughts, your cards.  The boys and I, are extremely humbled by this GoFundMe, and thank you, as she does not have life insurance.  Excess funds will be used for Hung and Hieu's future education.  She bequeaths her house to her boys.  Her memorial service will be on January 15, 2021, at St. Columban Church (8-11:30 AM), and final rest at Westminster Memorial Park Mortuary, 3-5PM).

Signed… Cuong (Mark) Nguyen, husband, father, former-husband, caregiver, trustee… and finally, forever a shining, happy, loving spot in my heart for you Em Chi).

(P.S.  Thanks Scottie for helping organize this gofundme.)