Help Bring Al Les Home

For over 30 years, the Les family has run one of Seattle's more unique eateries – Olympic Express. They are Muslim Cham from Vietnam, who serve Japanese teriyaki and Chinese stir-fries alongside Vietnamese pho and Thai noodles. All of their food is halal, prepared according to Muslim belief. Proprietor Al Les said, “My family noticed a need for Halal Asian food here, and we wanted to fill that niche.”

 

Al, the big brother in the Les family, is what you'd call a citizen of the world. He's traveled to dozens of countries and is fluent in Vietnamese, Cham, Cambodian, Arabic, and English. The restaurant reflects its multiculturalism through its unique mix of cuisines that span the breadth of Asia and the Middle East.

 

But the family’s heart is right here on MLK. “My parents moved to the area and raised five boys here, he said. “We stayed because the demographic diversity matches our menu.” Customers, who are almost all greeted by Al in their native languages, are treated like family as they enjoy favorite dishes like his special lamb curry.

 

The Les family has recently suffered a tragedy. Upon arriving in Cambodia, Al suffered a stroke that paralyzed the left half of his body. His family received a call on January 21st, informing them Al was in the ICU. His brother, Suady Les, flew out to help support Al during this time.

 

The Les family needs help from the community now more than ever. In addition to financial support for medical expenses and traveling, we want to help bring Al home to his family here in Othello

 

Please donate generously as you are able. All proceeds will go to Al's medical and travel expenses.

 

Suady has given us verbal permission to share his story and photos and to raise money on their behalf. We will be doing everything we can to help him during this difficult time. We will update this site as more details are available.

Update: March 29, 2022

The funds will be transferred to Al's brother, Sallamy Abdulmalik. The funds will be used for a multitude of things such as covering medical expenses, medical bills, physical therapy, expenses to bring Al back home to his family in Seattle, etc. 

On behalf of Al and his family, we want to thank everyone for all the love and support they've shown. We're grateful for our community.