Guest column | My father, Don Ly

My father Don Ly was a good man in every sense of the word. He was always utmost honest, humble, gentle and kind to all people. He was a deeply loving devoted husband who married only once and for life. He was peaceful and never bore any ill will against any soul. He worked very hard and was grateful for the work he had to support his family. He never smoked, drank or gambled and was in good health. He was always kind and patient with his children. All four of his children are college graduates — three graduated from Drexel University and all are working professionally. It is very unjust and undeserving to all that is goodness in the world that his life ended so suddenly and violently.

My father was a farmer back in South Vietnam. My family owned a subsistence vegetable farm and a small longan plantation. We sold all of that over 20 years ago to come to America where we found our way once again to the fruit business, selling fruit salad in vending cart at University of Pennsylvania campus at 34th and Walnut streets since 1995. My father was also a policeman in his early days and a monk teacher in a nearby temple, where he was well respected for his knowledge and kindness to this day by all who knew him. He was kind to all people, and all who knew him a little or a lot welcomed him wherever he went.

My father was an exemplary peaceful family man. My family was full of joy every day; we only have friends and no animosity with anybody whatsoever. Things like this never happen in my neighborhood. In an instant, evil emerged from the darkness silently and committed a ghastly heinous forceful act of evil. The very purest of innocence getting the worst of the worst is hell on earth in a flash, instantly disrupting normal family life upside down into some sort of unreal reality. It is absolutely unimaginable that this evil could ever happen to a good man like my father and god forbid to anyone else. For someone to be able to take my father’s life so suddenly and violently is beyond word. It is utterly inconceivable and unnatural. Perhaps my father was a saint and he died to take away the killer’s sin. Or it must have been Death itself to come and takes my father’s life because his time on earth has ended. But to end a kind and gentle soul in such a violent way is totally absolutely unacceptable, undeserving and unjust to all that is goodness in the world. If there is any justice left on earth, my mother is crying her heart out for it.

Thank you all for your support and generosity. Your united concerns will ensure goodness prevails brightly forever.

If you know anything about this case, please contact the police.

Leeto Ly can be reached at leeto140@yahoo.com.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.