HOF114: Huynh Vinh

As the boat that he and many other refugees occupied cruised in the dark vast ocean, Vinh Huynh remembers the bright lights of the oil rigs toward the horizon. Vinh Huynh and his family left Vietnam and spent several months in refugee camps in Malaysia.

He remembers that the family was brought to a crowded soccer field with no shade. They struggled to deal with the heat of the blistering tropical sun. Vinh Huynh’s father was determined to make the best of his family’s situation by finding ways to provide for the needs of his children.

Once Vinh Huynh settled in Winnipeg, he pursued his studies, obtained work as a teacher, and eventually went on to become the school principal of Gordon Bell High School, where he continues to serve his students to this day.