Overview

Choy Singkeovilay is a Vietnam veteran who served alongside the U.S. Special Forces in Laos at the age of 22. During the war, he endured deep personal loss when his first wife passed away. Later, amid the hardships of war, he met the woman who would become his wife. Because of his military involvement, he became a target after the war and was forced to flee his homeland. As opposition forces raided villages one after another, he undertook a weeks-long journey on foot toward the Thailand border in search of safety. However, upon arrival, he and many others were captured and placed in a refugee camp. Choy spent several years in the refugee camp, enduring the harsh conditions and daily hardships of camp life. Despite these challenges, he never gave up hope and remained determined to fight for a brighter tomorrow. He remained curious, resilient, and unwilling to settle for the limitations placed before him. Even in the face of harsh realities, he continued to persevere and forge his own path while remaining deeply committed to his fellow comrades and his people. After successfully escaping the refugee camp and living freely for decades, Choy made the ultimate sacrifice. Against his family’s wishes, he negotiated his return and re-entered the refugee camp so that his fellow comrades and their families could have the opportunity for resettlement. This courageous decision required him to leave behind the future he had spent years building. His sacrifice profoundly shaped the Lahu communities in America. Through his leadership, he guided tens—and eventually hundreds—of Lahu families back to refugee camps, reopening a pathway of hope and opportunity for resettlement in the United States. The Lahu Hope Foundation continues his legacy by uplifting and empowering the next generation of Lahu leaders while preserving the strength, resilience, and cultural heritage of the Lahu people.