San Diego business owner shares harrowing journey to freedom 50 years after fall of Saigon
CBS 8 San Diego
[{'start': '0.170', 'end': '11.360', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '9.200', 'end': '13.440', 'text': 'This week marks 50 years since the fall'}, {'start': '11.360', 'end': '15.519', 'text': 'of Saigon, marking the end of the'}, {'start': '13.440', 'end': '17.119', 'text': 'Vietnam War. But for many Vietnamese'}, {'start': '15.519', 'end': '19.199', 'text': 'Americans, their fight for freedom'}, {'start': '17.119', 'end': '20.880', 'text': 'lasted far beyond the war. Tonight,'}, {'start': '19.199', 'end': '23.359', 'text': 'Shannon Handy has one local business'}, {'start': '20.880', 'end': '24.880', 'text': "owner's remarkable story of bravery and"}, {'start': '23.359', 'end': '27.080', 'text': 'resilience.'}, {'start': '24.880', 'end': '29.359', 'text': 'Lee has been in the United States since'}, {'start': '27.080', 'end': '32.079', 'text': '1987. The journey to get here from'}, {'start': '29.359', 'end': '35.280', 'text': "Vietnam wasn't easy. It took him three"}, {'start': '32.079', 'end': '38.239', 'text': 'tries and a herring ordeal at sea. I'}, {'start': '35.280', 'end': '40.480', 'text': 'born in Vietnam 1962. Winston Lee'}, {'start': '38.239', 'end': '42.800', 'text': 'cherishes his Vietnamese culture, but'}, {'start': '40.480', 'end': '44.960', 'text': 'says he had no choice but to leave,'}, {'start': '42.800', 'end': '46.480', 'text': 'fearing oppression under a new communist'}, {'start': '44.960', 'end': '47.920', 'text': 'government.'}, {'start': '46.480', 'end': '50.480', 'text': 'Through the help of a translator,'}, {'start': '47.920', 'end': '52.480', 'text': 'Winston detailed how he escaped Vietnam.'}, {'start': '50.480', 'end': '54.079', 'text': 'He tried once and failed. During his'}, {'start': '52.480', 'end': '56.960', 'text': 'second attempt, he was caught and'}, {'start': '54.079', 'end': '59.120', 'text': 'arrested. On his third and final try, he'}, {'start': '56.960', 'end': '61.680', 'text': 'meticulously planned his departure by'}, {'start': '59.120', 'end': '64.000', 'text': 'hiding weapons and fuel in a cave so he'}, {'start': '61.680', 'end': '66.400', 'text': 'and other escapees could hijack a boat'}, {'start': '64.000', 'end': '68.400', 'text': 'in search of freedom. It worked but set'}, {'start': '66.400', 'end': '72.840', 'text': 'off a journey in the South China Sea'}, {'start': '68.400', 'end': '72.840', 'text': 'that still haunts him to this day.'}, {'start': '73.920', 'end': '78.240', 'text': 'Even without understanding his language,'}, {'start': '75.920', 'end': '80.080', 'text': 'the anguish he remembers is clear.'}, {'start': '78.240', 'end': '81.520', 'text': 'Winston shared a boat with more than two'}, {'start': '80.080', 'end': '83.520', 'text': 'dozen others in route to the'}, {'start': '81.520', 'end': '86.000', 'text': 'Philippines. What was supposed to take'}, {'start': '83.520', 'end': '87.600', 'text': 'three nights evolved into a 29-day'}, {'start': '86.000', 'end': '89.280', 'text': 'ordeal where they experienced'}, {'start': '87.600', 'end': '91.840', 'text': 'starvation, harsh weather, and'}, {'start': '89.280', 'end': '94.640', 'text': "mechanical failures. It's estimated up"}, {'start': '91.840', 'end': '99.040', 'text': 'to 800,000 Vietnamese natives escaped by'}, {'start': '94.640', 'end': '101.600', 'text': 'water between 1975 in 1995. Nearly half'}, {'start': '99.040', 'end': '101.600', 'text': 'failed to'}, {'start': '102.280', 'end': '107.439', 'text': 'survive. We ate crumbs and floated at'}, {'start': '104.880', 'end': '109.920', 'text': 'sea. Winston said at times they found'}, {'start': '107.439', 'end': '111.840', 'text': 'fishermen who offered temporary help but'}, {'start': '109.920', 'end': '113.840', 'text': "couldn't guide them to their destination"}, {'start': '111.840', 'end': '117.040', 'text': 'because of the countries they were from'}, {'start': '113.840', 'end': '119.640', 'text': 'namely China and Korea. They take these'}, {'start': '117.040', 'end': '123.759', 'text': 'people onto the ship share the hu like'}, {'start': '119.640', 'end': '126.240', 'text': 'watermelon apple juice but then after'}, {'start': '123.759', 'end': '128.640', 'text': 'about an hour they kick everybody back'}, {'start': '126.240', 'end': '131.680', 'text': "down and they say they can't they can't"}, {'start': '128.640', 'end': '133.840', 'text': 'save them otherwise they got killed the'}, {'start': '131.680', 'end': '135.920', 'text': 'government will punish them. Finally,'}, {'start': '133.840', 'end': '138.400', 'text': 'their group came across Philippine ships'}, {'start': '135.920', 'end': '140.560', 'text': 'who wound up saving them, but not before'}, {'start': '138.400', 'end': '142.959', 'text': 'five people, including a three-year-old'}, {'start': '140.560', 'end': '144.879', 'text': 'child, died. After arriving in the'}, {'start': '142.959', 'end': '146.879', 'text': "Philippines, Winston's sister, who was"}, {'start': '144.879', 'end': '149.440', 'text': 'already living in the United States,'}, {'start': '146.879', 'end': '151.520', 'text': 'petitioned him to join her. He traveled'}, {'start': '149.440', 'end': '153.680', 'text': 'to New Orleans and later joined his'}, {'start': '151.520', 'end': '156.160', 'text': 'girlfriend in San Diego. They married'}, {'start': '153.680', 'end': '158.160', 'text': 'and had two children. He supported his'}, {'start': '156.160', 'end': '160.800', 'text': 'family by working as a gardener as well'}, {'start': '158.160', 'end': '163.280', 'text': 'as painting homes. After saving all he'}, {'start': '160.800', 'end': '165.040', 'text': 'could, 15 years ago, he bought an old'}, {'start': '163.280', 'end': '167.360', 'text': 'coffee shop in City Heights,'}, {'start': '165.040', 'end': '169.440', 'text': 'transforming it into a restaurant named'}, {'start': '167.360', 'end': '172.080', 'text': 'after the Vietnam province where he was'}, {'start': '169.440', 'end': '173.360', 'text': 'born and raised.'}, {'start': '172.080', 'end': '175.519', 'text': "Here is where you'll find other"}, {'start': '173.360', 'end': '177.599', 'text': 'Vietnamese refugees. Every April,'}, {'start': '175.519', 'end': '180.000', 'text': 'Winston has images from the Vietnam War'}, {'start': '177.599', 'end': '182.400', 'text': "playing on a screen. It's his way of"}, {'start': '180.000', 'end': '185.680', 'text': 'honoring his home and all it took for'}, {'start': '182.400', 'end': '188.400', 'text': "him to make a new one. Don't go. Winston"}, {'start': '185.680', 'end': '190.640', 'text': 'says the country is still alive and we'}, {'start': '188.400', 'end': '193.519', 'text': 'still carry it on in San Diego where the'}, {'start': '190.640', 'end': '195.920', 'text': 'community is thriving. Shana Handy,'}, {'start': '193.519', 'end': '195.920', 'text': 'CBS8.'}]