Vận Hồng Dương, MD.

Thank you Tuyet Hoa and Huyen Tran, my deepest condolences the family.

I have known Vinh Dai from medical school, and he’s been my best friend since over 50 years. He’s bright, smart, intelligent, always full of energy and fun; always honest and caring. We loved the same things - mahjong, smoking, good food and drinks, and sport.

We played mahjong most weekends from Saturday through Sunday and sometimes on weekdays between classes. We hopped on his Honda scooter and went for mahjong for about an hour at lunch breaks. Qe played tennis at an abandoned court close to our school.

It’s amazing to me to observe him going through medical school so easy with all his hobbies. He’s very humble, and I am pretty sure he never told anyone about this story that I will tell you now...

In our medical school, we have to complete 6 years along with 1 year Pre-Med. Every year we have to pass the year-end exam to get onto the next year. In our 4th year, I felt tired of studying and felt that I was not well prepared for the year-end exam coming in a few weeks so I told Vinh Dai that I might quit school. And he told me, "Van, don’t quit - come to my house, and we’ll study together so the next few weeks."

I stayed in his house on Hien Vuong street, and we studied day and night with very little time to rest and sleep. The last week before the year-end exam, I think we did not sleep more than 2 hours each night. Luckily, we passed the exam that year and completed the next few years to finish medical school with him always watching and encouraging me.

Who knows what would I be without him helping me through medical school.

I am very lucky to be his friend. He is my best friend and I think of him as my brother.

Thank you Vinh Dai, and my last good bye to my brother.

Thank you again and I will miss you forever.

- Dr. Vận Hong Duong