Latest news with #Vietnam–ALostGeneration
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado educator reconnects with her roots, 50 years after she left orphanage in Vietnam
BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — By some estimates, 20,000 Vietnamese orphans were adopted by families all over the world by the end of the Vietnam war 50 years ago. Joie Lê is one of those adoptees. In 1973, the local newspaper in Loveland devoted a whole page to the American family that couldn't wait to greet her. 'This says the family expects a new daughter to arrive from Vietnam soon,' Lê told FOX31 as she held up the newspaper article. Born in Vietnam to a Vietnamese father and a Cambodian mother, she was sent to live in an orphanage. Plane crash survivor looks back on harrowing evacuation from Vietnam during Operation Babylift 50 years ago 'So, I have 15-some-odd siblings, 15 or 17 depending on who's counting and how we're counting. Not all living. But I was the only one out of the entire family to be adopted out. The rest were all raised by my dad,' Lê said. She had a lifetime of questions, and very few answers about her origin. Until DNA testing came into the picture. 'And I was given my test in 2010 when we did a reunion with a bunch of adoptees. And I I didn't take it for like a year. Just sat on the desk for like a year,' she said. Eventually, Lê took that DNA test and it helped fill in the blank pages of her life story. 'Finally, a match came through that was a second cousin. And I kind of was thinking, well, second cousin's pretty close to a first cousin, which could be close to an aunt, which could be close to my family. Ultimately, I came back with a match that they had found my brothers. And then from there, my biological father,' she said. A decade ago, she traveled to Vietnam, not knowing what to expect. 'My two brothers met me at the airport. And they took me into the area that my dad was living in,' she said. In the Vietnamese countryside, in the small home that he built by himself, she met her 90-year-old birth father for the first time. Full special: Vietnam – A Lost Generation 'He knew who I was. He could say that I was Dot's sister, and that I was Cambodian. But other than that, it was, I couldn't communicate too much with him,' Lê said. He died a few months after their meeting. 'You always want to know, and I think that I'm really lucky that I do know. There's not that many of us that actually did find biological family again,' Lê said. Lê is an educator at a Colorado high school and university. She has a PhD. And she says she isn't finished researching her past. One day, she might try to seek out her birth mother as well. To learn more about the orphans who were adopted during the Vietnam War, watch our special report, 'The Vietnam War: Flight to a New Future,' Sunday, May 4 at 9pm ET on News Nation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
St. Landry Parish Grand Jury issues murder and rape indictments
ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — St. Landry Parish Grand Jury indicted three people who will be arraigned in May for several charges such as second degree murder and first degree rape. Earlier today, Marques Malik Sonnier and 16-year-old juvenile were indicted for second degree murder of Kendrick Lewis, who was killed in the Honey Lane shooting on the evening of Dec. 28, 2024, authorities said. 4 of 5 suspects wanted in connection to St. Landry Parish murder surrender Authorities reported if convicted, Sonnier will face a sentence of mandatory life imprisonment at hard labor, without probation and parole of suspension of sentence. His arraignment will is scheduled to be May 22. The juvenile will face life imprisonment and may be eligible for parole consideration after serving 25 years if convicted of second degree murder, authorities said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Another indictment the St. Landry Parish Grand Jury announced was for Jakob Sedrick Oakley, 22, of Opelousas was charged with first degree rape and aggravated second degree battery of a Lafayette woman, authorities said. The incident occurred on October 2, 2024 at McClelland Road in the Lawtell area, authorities said. If convicted, Oakley will face up to 15 years at hard labor for aggravated second degree battery and face a sentence of mandatory life imprisonment at hard labor, without probation and parole of suspension of sentence for first degree rape. Oakley is scheduled to be arraigned on May 15. Full special: Vietnam – A Lost Generation DICK's House of Sport replaces Sears at Mall of Louisiana with new flagship store The 2025 Blazer EV SS: An electric SUV with a twist Former Disney World employee sentenced to 3 years in prison for hacking menus Trump to take 100 days victory lap on border, inflation with speech in Michigan Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
New Orleans escapee allegedly cuts, throws out ankle monitor
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A New Orleans woman is being sought after she allegedly cut her ankle monitor and threw it away. According to Assured Supervision Accountability Program Ankle Monitoring, 27-year-old Renetta Thomas was ordered to wear an ankle monitor due to a case involving a shooting. Tickfaw man dead following fentanyl overdose, 2 arrested ASAP officials say Thomas allegedly cut off her ankle monitor and threw it away in a dumpster near her apartment complex in New Orleans East. Anyone who spots Thomas is asked to call 911. Her description can be found on ASAP's Facebook special: Vietnam – A Lost Generation The 2025 Blazer EV SS: An electric SUV with a twist New Orleans escapee allegedly cuts, throws out ankle monitor President Trump heads to Rome for Pope Francis' funeral Trump to take 100 days victory lap on border, inflation with speech in Michigan Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Baton Rouge officers on leave after motel shooting incident
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Two Baton Rouge Police officers were placed on administrative leave after a shooting at a motel on Gwenadele Avenue. Authorities said officers were responding to a disturbance call involving a male suspect at the Super 6 Inns and Suites on April 20. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the suspect, who was later identified as Kevin Vallian, 34. Coroner identifies man killed in officer-involved shooting near Baton Rouge motel The police and Vallian exchanged gunfire before a bullet struck him, and he later died at the hospital. No officers were injured in the shooting. BRPD identified the officers as David Jennings and Gene Meazell. Jennings served in the department for six years, and Meazell served for nearly three years. This is an ongoing investigation. Who is Hannah Dugan, judge arrested by FBI in Wisconsin Full special: Vietnam – A Lost Generation DICK's House of Sport replaces Sears at Mall of Louisiana with new flagship store The 2025 Blazer EV SS: An electric SUV with a twist Man shot and killed on his front porch in Baton Rouge, police say Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
