THE REFUGEE CAMP WAS LIKE A PRISON WITH DIGNITY.
They were put ashore in Thailand.
There were no killings, to be afraid any more but so many people were crammed into tiny areas.
Most had lost loved ones on the ocean, had no concept what the future held for them, stress was exceptionally high creating psychiatric problems, coupled with a lack of nutrition and stress.
But the refugees still felt happy, at least knowing that they were only there on the way 'somewhere'.
Longy and a friend set up a 'clinic with a simple table and started giving massages, particularly to the elderly.
To maintain his 'form', Longy would go training early in the morning; when one of the Thai Guards came up to him, the guard looked at Longy’s knuckles and could see he was an accomplished martial artist. The guard was too.
Without being able to talk to each other, they started showing each other 'form' and the similarities between the Korean kick boxing Longy had learnt and Thai kick boxing.
The guard took Longy to the local center of Thai kick - boxing. He beat the local junior champion, then all comers..
The matches were like street fighting. He was deadly. He had conquered the ocean. He had built himself to be exceptionally strong, and had lightning speed. He also added more to his skills, becoming friends with the masseurs and trainers of the Mai Tai fighters who in turn shared their skills.
He started thinking more about healing sports injuries and taking it seriously.
Longy was able to leave the camp for his kick boxing challenges, ensuring the guards a 'sure bet' in the ring, and taking some luxuries back into the camp to share. All the guards and people in administration were soon friends, not just for his kick boxing but because he got along well with everyone and freely gave treatments.
He was able to 'sneak out' of camp aboard the water tanker and journey up to Chang Mai seeking out famous healers and monks to study the art of Thai massage and 'stretching'.
His thirst to always learn more knew no boundaries.
HAVE YOU EVER SUDDENLY TURNED INTO A DISABLED PERSON
Next, Longy was packed up and sent to Nagasaki, as he had been picked up by a Japanese ship he had become Japan’s responsibility.
No one could understand him when he arrived in Japan. He had no family with him. No mother to nurture him. No father to protect him. He couldn’t read or write the language. He could only listen. Longy found the positive side:
“The good part is that it makes you exercise your senses by guessing, observing it ,in fact ,makes you a stronger person.”
He was sent to a Catholic monastery which had some accommodation for orphan boys and other refugees from Vietnam.
Then to work a steel factory. Again, he was recognized as an accomplished martial artist by a master who worked at the factory called “King Kong”
“King Kong” was very humble but recognized Longy’s exceptional skill and was soon being massaged by him. In return, he taught Longy the Japanese way of using moxibustion instead of using hand generated heat. Not every one can have pressure point applied.
Nearby was a temple where the monks looked after the Sumo wrestlers, again another trade in skills
While in Tokyo, Longy met monks from Thailand and they taught him 'the eight embroideries, a series of secret postures to keep the vital organs rejuvinated and full of energy.
He spent six months working learning more martial arts and practicing his Vietnamese and Korean Shiatsu.
ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF QANTAS FLIGHT QF 25.
The rest of Longy's family had made it to Australia, and finally tracked him down and were able to get him permission to come to Australia.
Longy’s life changed again at 3 pm on the 25 th of March 1981. The Jumbo touched down in Sydney.
He stepped off the plane knowing that this was where he could create a life for himself.
He had to learn the language, he had to learn the culture.
But the most important lessons Longy had to learn was not the language nor the culture
but how to able to love and trust again.
He couldn’t speak the language, but he had the one language every human respects – the art of healing.
He was sent to a Hostel with lots of orphan children.
Enrolled in school, he had established and was teaching in his own martial arts school, which ultimately he gave to his friend to continue.
After school he had a part time job. He would take off his school uniform, and put on his uniform of security guard at the local Bowling Club. Attacked by three 'heavies' with a machete he knocked them all out with lightening speed - they had unleashed the tiger..
The police politely told him to find another occupation.
Leaving school, he became the bodyguard of some very 'heavy' businessmen and was shot using his body to 'shield' his boss- one of his qualities was loyalty. He left the country to heal going to Hong Kong and Thailand to increase his knowledge of healing.
He decided to become a fully licensed body guard with only ethical clients.
At the police station on his return, applying for his body guard permit, the duty officer was lying on his back moaning in pain, Longy jumped the counter. and immediately tended to him, who then stood up amazed that he has been fixed so simply and quickly.
It turned out he was the captain of a major Sydney Rugby league team, soon Longy was the most sought after healer for football teams and Olympic athletes.
He also started working part time as a bodyguard for doctors as the area he lived in was pretty rough, and home to the notorious Vietnamese 5T gang, and often doctors were attacked for their drugs, he soon became KING OF THE STREETS there too.
Spending time with the doctors gave him a further opportunity to learn more about Western medicine .
THE ASIAN KANGAROO.
It’s almost every little Australian boy’s dream to wear the 'Green and Gold' of the Kangaroos, the Australian Rugby league team.
In 1996 a young man realized that dream. But he wasn’t Australian, he was Vietnamese, dubbed “The Asian Kangaroo” by his teammates.
His introduction to Rugby League had first been on the war fields of Vietnam, where Australian soldiers played it on their 'time off' from the war, now here he was wearing the colors of his new country.
chest pumped with a pride tested the strength of the fabric stretched it of the green and gold of the Australian Rugby league team.
This was the the surprise weapon Longy,“The Master of Pressure Point”ready to repair injuries, literally on the spot quicker than thought possible.
If it had been at midnight his smile would have been bright enough to light the battleground.