Support for Trinh family after husband’s passing

Tam Trinh is a Vietnamese doctoral student at Stevens Institute of Technology studying storm surge and coastal flooding. Her colleagues Kazi Mita and Shima Kasaei, and I (Professor Philip Orton) are organizing a fundraiser to help Tam and her family after her husband’s unexpected passing in September.

This fundraiser aims to raise funds for Tam to travel home to Vietnam to return his remains and have closure with their families. According to Vietnamese culture, his remains need to be returned to his family as soon as possible for him to rest in peace in his home country.

The cost of traveling to Vietnam with their son Duc will be $7000-8000 – this is for airfare, which is extremely expensive during the holiday season. Tam has no family in the U.S. and cannot leave her son behind while she travels so far away.

Tam is now a single mother, and donated funds can also help her temporarily pay new childcare costs for afternoons when she newly needs care for Duc due to her teaching assistant job and coursework. Temporary childcare costs are also needed until Tam gets a waiver due to her full-time student/ teaching status – $150/week for an unknown period.

Funds go directly to Tam. Any money contributed would be very much appreciated and we thank you for your time and generosity.