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By: Sharon Aron Baron

Veterans Day was observed in Coral Springs on Monday with a moving ceremony that included a featured speaker who escaped Communism in Vietnam.

The event included a welcome by Alan Paley, of the Jewish War Veterans Post 606.   The Invocation was given by Deacon Denis Mieyal of St. Andrew Catholic Church and the Presentation of Colors was given by Major Rick Strul and the Coral Springs Civil Air Patrol.

After witnessing the brutality and the killings by the North Vietnamese Communists, Doctor Du Hua escaped after his eleventh attempt.  He was so appreciative of the United States harboring him, and giving him a life of freedom and dignity, that he joined the Navy and became a sailor, serving multiple deployments.  Hua dreamed of becoming a Navy jet fighter pilot, unfortunately, he was injured while performing his duty. As a disabled veteran, he had to fight for survival for himself and his family with two small daughters. He had to return to college and further his education where he graduated from a Doctor of Pharmacy program from Nova Southeastern University.

Since then, he has been working as a pharmacist. He is extremely happy to have another opportunity to serve his patients and his community. However, his old injury continues to aggravate him over the years. Nonetheless, he continues to fight to support his family and serve the people he loves.  Doctor Du Hua has written a book about his life called The Escapes and My Journey to Freedom.  You can meet Du Hua where he is a Pharmacist at our Ramblewood Publix Supermarket.