Our dad, John Srey, lived a life that defied every odd stacked against him. Abandoned by his mother as a child, he found his footing alone. As a young man, he served as a soldier during the Vietnam War and the Khmer Rouge regime conflict — and he saved lives doing it including bringing his family to safety. He succeeded, relocating us from Cambodia to the United States as refugees and raising five children with fierce love.

But the weight of war never left him. Our dad, John, carried the trauma of everything he had witnessed and endured for the rest of his life. At 60, after his marriage ended, he found himself homeless on the streets of Los Angeles for ten years. We never gave up on him, and when we found him, we brought him to safety like he did for us.

Peace was short-lived. A major stroke left him fragile and dependent on a cane. His health slowly declined — he stopped speaking, stopped eating, and his kidneys began to fail. Then a second, catastrophic stroke took him from us. Even then, our dad, John, held on long enough for his children and grandchildren to say goodbye.

He was 75 years old and one of the strongest people we will ever know.

We are raising $10,000 to cover funeral and cremation expenses. Any contribution or share means the world to our family. Thank you for honoring our dad, John Srey, with your kindness.