ASHLAND — Kim Phuc Phan Ti’s journey toward faith and forgiveness began with four Napalm bombs that left burns all over her back and arms.
At 9 years old, Phuc lived in South Vietnam and one fateful moment changed her life forever. She became a symbol of the Vietnam War in 1972 after photographer Nick Ut snapped a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo of her running down a street, naked, after a Napalm bombing in Trang Bang, Vietnam.
What is the Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Dinner, and how did Phuc get selected to speak?
This year’s Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Dinner was the sixth of its kind. Each year, a group of local veterans associated with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration hosts the event. The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a movement to honor Vietnam-War era veterans backed by the federal government.
Typically, the event features speakers who are veterans. But, according to Bob DeSanto, one of the organizers of the event, she lived through Vietnam all the same.
“She is not what we would call a Vietnam veteran,” DeSanto said as he introduced Phuc. “But she is a veteran of the Vietnam War. There is no question that she belongs here.”
The Saturday night event also featured a slideshow with photos of Ashland’s veterans, including a special section to honor those who had been killed in action during Vietnam.
But that photo was not the end of Phuc’s story.
“May I suggest a new way of seeing my original picture?” Phuc said. “When you see a little girl running up the road, try not to see her as she was then: wounded, suffering and crying out in pain and fear.
“Try to see her as she is now: as a wife, a mother, a new grandmother and a survivor calling out for peace.”
Her speech on Saturday night at Ashland’s annual Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Dinner was one of hope, as she shared how finding the Christian faith helped her find forgiveness and spread a message of peace around the world through her foundation.
Finding faith and forgiveness
Phuc’s speech started with the day of the bombing and detailed her life afterward. She shared how she struggled with anger and self-loathing based on her looks. She decided she wanted to be a doctor, but said the Vietnamese government pulled her out of classes to try and make her a prop.
But in 1982, Phuc found the New Testament in a library, and credited Christianity and finding her faith with saving her life.
“And yet, looking back at the past five decades, I realize those bombs that brought great suffering also brought great healing,” Phuc said. “Those bombs led me to Jesus Christ.”
Eventually, she moved to Cuba in 1986 to attend the University of Havana. There, she met her husband Bui Huy Toan. Together, they dreamed a new dream: one of freedom. The pair went to Moscow for their honeymoon. On their way home, they had a one-hour stop in Newfoundland.
They left the plane and asked for political asylum, which they received, in Canada. She and her husband still live in Canada today.
All the while, Phuc worked her way toward forgiveness — something she described as a major challenge for a while. But eventually, she found her way there.
“The more I prayed for my enemies, the softer my heart became,” Phuc said.
Now, Phuc travels the world sharing her story as a UNESCO ambassador. She founded a non-profit, the Kim Phuc Foundation, which helps child victims of war. In 2017, she published a book about her life titled “Fire Road.”
She also gave birth to two sons. Her family has expanded over the years to include five grandchildren as well.
“I came through the fire and I am blessed to be here with you tonight,” Phuc said. “My dream is one day that all people will live without fear, in real peace, no fighting and no hostility.
“As you know, our world is troubled and full of conflict. But every single day we have opportunities to be better people, better neighbors and better friends.
“Our world is our choice. Make the right choice. And I believe that peace, love and forgiveness will always be more powerful than any weapon.”
Sharing her message
Phuc also had the chance to share her message with Ashland County high schoolers on Friday morning, according to event organizers.
Lonnie Miller, part of the event’s planning committee and a Marine who served in Vietnam himself, said he saw both speeches she gave and got to have dinner with her. He said each time, Phuc offered a wonderful message.
Several men Miller served with in Vietnam traveled to Ashland to attend the event. When asked what that meant to him, Miller simply responded, “A lot.”
“You were in a room full of heroes tonight,” said Ashland city council president Steve Workman.
For Phuc, speaking to veterans isn’t something she does often. But she said they all shared the experience of Vietnam. Speaking with them offered her a unique chance to connect, learn from each others’ pasts and share stories.
Plus, she said she appreciated her time in Ashland. She described the community as “beautiful” and “peaceful.”
But what remains most important to her is sharing her message of love and forgiveness, and advocating for an end to war everywhere.
“In the bottom of my heart I say, we cannot change history. With love, we can heal the future,” Phuc said.
(Below are more photos from the event.)
