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  • DALE: Hi there.

  • TONY: Hi.

  • DALE: Who are you waiting for today?

  • TONY: My mom.

  • DALE: Your mom?

  • Where's your mom coming in from?

  • TONY: Cancun.

  • We made it a tradition to send her away for a trip every year.

  • DALE: Wow.

  • Why is this important to you, to send your mom away?

  • TONY: So my mom was a stay-at-home mom.

  • But the thing is that my dad passed away when I was 18 coming out of high school.

  • He actually passed away from cancer.

  • DALE: I'm so sorry.

  • TONY: Yeah, so when my dad passed away we had to sell everything.

  • We had to sell the house, sell the cars.

  • So we went from owning a house down to living in someone else's basement.

  • DALE: It sounds like that changed your life as a family quite a bit.

  • TONY: It did, it did.

  • And my mom.

  • She was like, "Okay, I'm gonna look for a job now. I need to support the familyYour dad is not here anymore."

  • For her it was much more difficult

  • because she's a first generation immigrant from China.

  • So she did not speak English much.

  • We're talking about like entry-level jobs, so mopping the floor for the longest time.

  • And then slowly, slowly we've finally been able to buy a house about four years, five years back.

  • DALE: That's amazing.

  • TONY: Yeah.

  • So that's what she did for us and that's why me and my sister we're very grateful for what my mom did.

  • DALE: So describe your dad when you were growing up.

  • TONY: He was one of the hardest working person I know.

  • He always own his own business.

  • He would work 11 in the morning until like 11 at night.

  • But the thing is that when I was younger used to be very like a delinquent.

  • I would say that I'm the worst kid that there was.

  • I would not listen to him, not listen to momnot listen to anyone. Do whatever I like.

  • If I could go back to those times I would do the things differently.

  • DALE: When your dad passed away, you were 18?

  • TONY: I was 18.

  • So everyday he would go through chemo and stuff like that so we would have to be there for him.

  • We took turns into looking after him.

  • So it was one morning when my dad, it was my turn in the morning to go see him.

  • So I was just reading a book beside him

  • and I looked over and I was like,

  • "Dad, Dad, what's going on?"

  • He actually just stopped.

  • Stopped breathing, moving, and everything.

  • I pressed the emergency button.

  • A nurse came, doctor came, and yeah, he said that he died.

  • Just like that.

  • DALE: I'm so sorry.

  • TONY: I was the only person that was there.

  • Ooh, sorry.

  • DALE: Did you get a chance to say everything you needed to say to your dad, or you wanted to say to your dad?

  • TONY: No, that's the thing.

  • Every year we go see him at his grave.

  • Every time I see him it reminds me that Dad, you worked so hard for the family

  • and now I'm gonna take up your position into supporting the family, making decisions,

  • making sure that we all live well.

  • And then right now I started my own companymy music school.

  • So I have so much question I would like to ask him.

  • If my dad was here today we would be doing so much together.

  • DALE: Do you think he'd be proud of you?

  • TONY: Right now, yes.

  • At this moment I would think so.

  • I hope so.

  • I can look at him straight in the eyes on his picture on his grave and be like,

  • "Don't worry, Dad, I got this."

  • DALE: That's a big thing to say as a son.

  • Don't worry Dad, I've got this.

  • TONY: I think so.

  • DALE: So tell me about your mom.

  • TONY: She would be like the very caring person.

  • In Chinese tradition, traditional Chinese family

  • we don't say "I love you" enough

  • and now I've learned it the hard way.

  • With what happened to my Dad, that's why afterward me and my sister we always say to Mom,

  • "We love you, we love you."

  • So every day we do that.

  • DALE: I think your dad would be very proud of how the three of you have come together

  • and really supported each other.

  • TONY: Thank you.

  • DALE: You're very welcome.

  • DALEThanks, manAll the best, alright? TONY: Thank you.

  • DALE: Take care. TONY: Bye bye.

  • Looking back when we were younger

  • Sneaking out to feed the hunger

  • Nobody knows

  • We have come so far

  • We can't turn back nowTONY: Ma.

  • Let me walk you down this road

  • Follow me, follow me

  • When it's dark out

  • ♫ I will be, I will be your lighthouse

  • And if you're lost

  • ♫ I'll lead you back home

  • Follow me, follow me

  • When it's dark out

  • ♫ I will be, I will be your lighthouse

DALE: Hi there.

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