Rebuilding The Kouangs' Home

As many of you know, our parents (Van Kouang Saechao and Farm Chiew Saechao) lost their home to the Carr Fire in Shasta County on July 26, 2018. This destructive and deadly fire not only took our childhood home, but also the homes of over 1,000 families. We share your pain, and our hearts and thoughts go out to those who were also affected by this catastrophic event. Unique memories of a family turn a house into a home, we would like a take a brief moment to share with you, a bit of ours. In the 1970s, our grandfather fought alongside the U.S Army, protecting democratic values during the Secret War in Laos. When the war ended in 1975, our family fled on foot away from a war-torn country, without sight of anything left to return to, to Thailand and lived in the border camps. There, our parents met and started a family of their own with two daughters. In 1990, our family immigrated to the United States and settled in Sacramento, Ca. With no American job skills and the inability to speak English, our parents struggled to find steady income to support their growing family. Relying on their farming skills that have been deeply ingrained from harvesting rice fields and foraging in the Thai hillsides, our parents relocated to Redding, Ca in 1996 and pioneered strawberry farming. After seven years of intensive farm labor, countless hours of back-bending work in the hot Redding sun, sacrifices, discipline, and dedication, our parents finally saved enough to build a home. With partnership from our neighbors and guidance (and much more) from the contractors, our parents literally built our home from ground up. In 2004, upon completion of our home, our parents achieved The American Dream of owning a home. Van and Farm are active members of the Shasta County Mien Community and are extremely hard working, and if you know our parents, you know they are selfless and have the biggest hearts. On July 26, 2018, the Carr Fire claimed our home and shattered all of our hearts. Years of family photos, collections of sentimental items, and irreplaceable traditional heirlooms disappeared within a few short hours. When we saw video footage that confirmed our house was completely destroyed, our parents broke out in tears like we’ve never seen before. It broke our hearts to see our parents in so much pain, losing everything they’ve worked so hard for, all over again.  To our family, friends, and all who have asked how they can help, we have established a GoFundMe account to help our parents get back on their feet. Thank you for the continuous support and unconditional love. We are reminded again of the extraordinary power of love.  Rebuilding will take time, and any donation you can provide, no matter how small or big, will be a blessing in helping our parents begin to heal. We’d also like to thank all the First Responders, Firefighters, Law Enforcement officials, Reporters, Journalists, and everyone else who are putting their lives on the line to keep us safe and updated. All your hard work and effort is invaluable to the community and the world, Thank You for all that you do. With love, The Kouangs