Hi, my name is Sang, and I’m the daughter of a 57 year old refugee from Vietnam. My dad came to Australia over three decades ago, fleeing by boat in search of safety and a better life for the family he hoped to build.

He’s lived alone for years. These days he’s unable to work, confined by a damaged shoulder from years of relentless labour. He built his life brick by brick, paycheck by paycheck, fueled by nothing but grit and a quiet determination to provide for those he loved.

Four years ago, that shoulder gave out. The first surgery didn’t help. He’s been waiting for a second one ever since, caught in a backlog that never seems to move. In the meantime, he’s had no income, only dwindling savings and the fear of not knowing how much longer he can hold on.

Then, in February 2025, while leaving for Vietnam to relocate the graves of his parents, a journey of immense emotional weight, a hacker took advantage of his limited internet and got remote access to his phone. They changed his bank passwords, locked him out of his accounts, and began draining what little he had left. They wiped out nearly $27,000. After five months of emotional strain, rude phone calls, ineffective translators, and endless delays, we were told by Westpac that the funds could not be recovered.

It was like watching the light go out in someone who had already endured too much. This wasn’t even the first blow as he’d also been in a car accident in January. Although it wasn’t his fault, the other driver denied responsibility. Only after months of relentless pursuit did their insurer finally concede.

So now, I write this with a heavy heart but also with hope. I’ve set up this GoFundMe in the hope that we can help my dad recover even a fraction of what he’s lost. Every dollar will go toward easing the weight he’s carried for so long. No gesture is too small.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for reminding us that even in hardship, kindness still exists.