Sinh Thien Nguyen
Sinh Thien Nguyen is a Vietnamese refugee who escaped Vietnam when the communists took over. He came to the United States with almost no money and settled in Washington State before coming to New Orleans with only 20 dollars in his pocket. In New Orleans, he got married and had four children. He became the owner of a gas station in Metairie, where he and his family worked long days together for years.
“Jefferson, where we go, St. Tammany, St. Charles, I knew a lot of people. I knew the sheriff. I knew the judge. I knew the DA. I knew the president, everything. I come to the community because I'm lucky, I'm successful, and I want to help my community.”
“I'm proud that I live in America. They give me the chance to be, number one, successful. Number two, I work hard. Number three, that my kids can follow with me”
“I tell you that is my dream. When I live in my country, I don't have freedom. The police, they can knock your door anytime they want. Even night and day, they can come. They can check on you or if they heard something, they can come. So that's the difference between the American and the Vietnam”
Full interview https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wVg3lSLbIto5DIIpu7jnyfsYUpOYD6q9UPJF7l9QR1o/edit?tab=t.0
On July 21, 1979 , left communist Vietnam with his 11 year old brother. They were set to go to the Philippines but ended up in Thailand for three months before sailing to the United States.
In 1981, traveled to New Orleans with 20 dollars in this pocket. He had a friend help him get a job a week later at a printing company. He worked very hard and was able to work his way up because people saw his determination.
In October of 1979, made it to Washington state where his other brother lived. He stayed with him and attended school. He was in the ESL Program (English Second Language). He went to vocational school in Washington.
In 2000, purchased the Texaco gas station in Metairie, New Orleans and it became the first gas station he owned. His family helped him run it.
He got married in New Orleans on October 16, 1982 with 100 dollars in his pocket from the printing company. His wife was also Vietnamese.
In 2007, he bought his house in Metairie with his wife and children.
On August 29th, 2005, Katrina hit New Orleans. His children evacuated while he and his wife stayed because they did not want to leave their business behind. He remembers his family thinking he had died because it was very hard to call people.