A Vietnamese man living in Henrietta is seeking the help of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to bring his son, who for more than 30 years was presumed dead, to Rochester to meet the family he never knew existed.

As YNN'S Anne Lithiluxa and photojournalist Bryan Beard explain, it was war that tore them apart but persistence that brought them back together

"I never thought he died,” Hao Truong of Henrietta said.

It was December 1977 when Hao Truong, his wife, son, and four others got on a boat, fleeing Vietnam. They were headed for safety in Thailand. Forty miles from the Thai border, Hao’s boat was overtaken by what he calls pirates.

"Right in the middle of the night, about 9 o'clock, they take us one by one, quietly; they threw all the men over the sea. So, I stay in the water for more than 16 hours, swimming, without anything. I don't know how I can survive,” Truong said.

Hao's wife was killed and their young son, Samart, was presumed dead.

"For the last 34 years, I still feel strongly, believe he is still alive,” Truong said.

Over the three decades, he's tried three times to find Samart. This past, June he went to Thailand, the place the family was originally headed, for one more attempt.

Hao's story got on the Thai news, and on social networking sites. He even offered a reward for any information that would lead him to his son.

“I was out on the road. Everyday I went out. I came back late at night and sleep and in the morning I go again. Every day I go,” Truong said.

For the entire month of June Hao gathered information from locals. His visa expired on the 30th; the same day as Samart's birthday. But all of Hao's hard work paid off. He found his son living and working there making rubber.

"I know that right away, without checking anything that I know that’s him! I say to myself, 'that's him! That's him!” Truong said.

"I remember that day. My sister in law called me. It was 10:30 in the morning on June 30th, I just received the phone call and I couldn’t say anything. All I said was, 'oh my god. This is unbelievable,’” Hong Truong said.

Hao wants to bring his son to the U.S. to meet his family. Samart's grandfather is very ill and wants to meet his grandson for the first time. Senator Chuck Schumer spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Thailand Tuesday night, asking for an expedited visitor's visa.

“This seemed to me not a big ask. Samart the son is not asking to become a citizen or get a green card but simply a visitor’s visa t hat if it got tied up in red tape it would be a shame,” Schumer said.

The senator was contacted by the Truong family for help. He says even issues like this are all part of the job.

"It is important to bring money to Rochester its important to decide the big issues but sometimes its these smaller issues that make this job worthwhile,” Truong said.

For Hao, 30 years of patience and persistence is paying off. They hope to receive Samart's visa within a couple of weeks.

“I’m very happy, I feel like I just hit the jackpot!” Truong said.

By: Anne Lithiluxa

Source: rochester.ynn.com