Goodbye 2023 Hello to Healing Strength and New Beginnings

These past three years have been nothing short of life changing for me, both for the worst and for the better.

I have faced tremendous loss. I lost my dog, an eleven year old Siberian Husky named Destine. I lost my Vietnamese grandmother to Alzheimer’s. I lost my uncle in law, an aunt, and most painfully, I lost my unborn child Sao through miscarriage. And now I am watching the love of my life, my grandma Juanita, suffer through the same indiscriminate illness of Alzheimer’s.

This wonderful woman found a broken fatherless child who was suffering from abuse and neglect. She showered that little boy with unconditional love, not knowing she saved him from the darkest abyss of life. That boy was me. I am forever thankful for what she gave me. Through her love and compassion I learned the true meaning of what it is to be American and I finally embraced it fully.

Even though these were some of the heaviest losses a person could face, all is not lost. I have also made powerful gains. Through pain I conquered what I once thought I never could. I shook off addictions. I gave up alcohol. I am now almost two years clean and I feel as though I have been reborn.

I started working out. I stayed disciplined. I am no longer the skinny Asian kid I once saw in the mirror. I feel as though I have finally matured into the man I always wanted to become.

“Time does not stop for anyone. If you do not start today you risk going to your grave with regrets.”

Finding My Purpose

Since childhood I have always loved writing and creating. I was never into social media and I always valued my privacy. But I realized that if I truly want to achieve my dreams I have to face the things I dislike and fear. I cannot leave this earth with stones unturned.

So I made a decision to start a YouTube channel called Sao’s Legacy.

This channel is about my life and the experiences that shaped me, as a proud father, a beloved son, an immigrant, an Asian American, an abuse survivor, and a man who has endured loss. These are stories that I believe may bring value to anyone who chooses to listen.

I will admit I am nervous. But I believe nerves are a good sign. They mean this matters. I am not doing this only for me. I am doing this for everyone who believed in me, especially my grandmother who is still fighting Alzheimer’s, and for the legacy of my unborn child Sao.

A New Chapter

My first video is called Goodbye 2023. It is a bittersweet introduction of myself to the world. It may not be perfect, and full of flaws, but it is definitely my most important video, because i had the courage to start. I am still a camera shy kid at heart who has grown into a father, but I am proud of it.

If you are interested you can watch my first video below.

If this story resonates with you, I hope you will consider subscribing. It would mean the world to me and help me continue building this journey.

From the bottom of my heart thank you for reading this first step in my new chapter.

Yours truly
Destin B Tran

For the ones who went ahead