Support Koor Gai's Sons: A Legacy of Hope

Dear Friends,

Koor Gai, one of the Lost Boys, survived unimaginable horrors—genocide, a 1,000-mile trek through starvation and danger, and a civil war— and after incredibly hard work, he built himself a remarkable life in America, but now after a massive stroke his family needs our help.

At age seven, he lost his family to violence, joining thousands of boys fleeing across deserts and rivers to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. In 2001, Koor resettled in San Diego, arriving just after 9/11, and embraced his new home with fierce determination. Mentored by our family, Koor became like a son to us, earning a Mathematics degree from UC San Diego and thriving as a software test engineer at companies like Liferay and DISTek in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The LA Times published a wonderful interview with Koor: https://www.latimes.com/80294324-132.html

Koor achieved the American dream: he learned to drive, earned US citizenship, graduated from a major university, and started a family with his wife, Adool, and their sons, Thon (6) and Gai (3). Despite surviving another civil war and navigating US visa challenges that delayed his ability to bring his family to America for years, in April 2025, Koor brought Thon alone to Iowa for speech therapy to address his stutter—a severe condition Koor himself suffered from. But just weeks after Thon’s arrival, tragedy struck: Koor suffered a massive stroke. He now lies in the ICU in the University of Iowa Hospital ICU, facing a future without the ability to provide for his family or children ever again.

We urgently need your help to raise $20,000 for Koor’s sons, Thon and Gai. This fund will provide:

* Speech Therapy for Thon: To help him overcome his stutter and thrive in school.

* Educational Fund for Thon and Gai: To ensure they can pursue the education Koor valued, famously saying, “Education is my mother and father.”

* Living Expenses: To support Thon in Iowa and Gai with his mother in Nairobi, as visa restrictions prevent Adool from joining them.

Koor’s life is a testament to resilience, from surviving genocide to uplifting everyone around him. Now, his boys need us to carry forward his legacy. Your donation—$10, $50, or any amount—will give Thon and Gai the chance to follow in their father’s footsteps and become the next generation of hope. Please donate today and share this campaign to help these young boys overcome this heartbreaking setback.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Debra and Paul Hinz

For Koor, Thon, and Gai

“I was a Lost Boy, but I am not lost any longer.” – Koor Gai, a survivor who inspired us all.