Horizons Fall 2016

35 NSU HORIZONS people.” “It was unbelievable,” Hua said. “We were all but dead up to the point we were rescued. We found life in death.” They were transported to Palawan, an island in the Philippines where thousands of boat people lived in a refugee camp. His brother-in-law and nephew ended up in Germany, and were joined later by Hua’s sister and her other children. But Hua was determined to reunite with his brother in the United States, and months passed as his application was denied and he lost an appeal. His third application was approved. “I love him dearly. He is everything to me,” Hua said of his brother. “I had to do all I could.” His brother and sister-in-law were there to meet him when Hua, then 20 years old, landed in Houston in 1982. The scramble was on to learn English, get a GED, and enroll at Houston Community College, all the while working part-time jobs. After earning an associate’s de- gree in computer science, he was hired as a computer programmer for a nonprofit group. His success in the United States seemed assured, until he was laid off. Hua’s new career decision was hardly obvious. Want- ing to serve his new country, he joined the U.S. Navy. He admired a brother who had served in the South Viet- namese army. He also knew the U.S. Navy had rescued boat people, and maybe he would be able to help people in their dangerous attempts to be free, he said. He reported as an aviation machinist to Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville and maintained F-18s. He loved the planes, the camaraderie, and the world travel. It all ended when he broke his back in an accident while doing maintenance on a fuel tank. Despite treatment, he has been in constant pain ever since. He describes the day he separated from the Navy as one of the saddest of his life. Because of his physical limitations, a Veterans Affairs counselor suggested becoming a pharma- cist. Hua liked the idea, and liked that he would be able to help military veterans. The path forward was daunting. Hua was now married with two daughters to care for, and his coursework was extremely challenging. When his wife became ill and needed surgery, he feared he would have to give up. But NSU allowed him to interrupt his studies to care for her and welcomed him back when he was able to return. “Not many schools would do that,” said Hua, who now lives in Orlando. “That is why I am so grateful to NSU. The professors were willing to work with you and help you succeed. The professors—and the curriculum—gave me a second chance.” Since graduation, Hua has worked as a pharmacist at Walgreens, CVS, Publix, and independent pharmacies in Florida. The work was especially rewarding, he said, when he assisted veterans. “That is why I stayed in retail,” he said. “The connection between the veterans and myself—it is worth everything to me.” For now, Hua has stopped working to concentrate on getting more treatment and physical therapy for his back. “I am still hoping I will feel better and will work again. I am keeping my license active,’’ he said. “My hope is to get in a VA setting so I can work with veterans.” He frequently speaks at patriotic and education events in a variety of Florida cities, organizations, schools, and churches “to thank our veterans and urge our people not to take freedom and democracy for granted,” he said. “Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice,” he told veterans and their families attending a recent event in Longwood, Florida. “Thank you for showing me what freedom is all about. God bless you and welcome home.” n Du Hua frequently writes about his experiences and often speaks at patriotic and education events “to thank our veterans.”