Flashlight in the Ocean: The Inspirational Story of a Young Boy's Daring Escape from Saigon to Brave War, Worry, and Water for a New World

AT THE FALL OF SAIGON, on April 30, 1975, thirteen-year-old Brian Thuan Luu's world changed forever. As chaos consumed the city, he faced an impossible choice: stay and risk an uncertain future or leave everything he had ever known behind. Making the fateful decision to escape Vietnam without his family, Brian braved the unknown. He was armed with nothing but courage, hope, a few provisions, and a small flashlight his brother had given him before he left. That flashlight would become more than just a tool in the darkness-it would light his way through some of the most perilous moments of his journey to freedom.

What followed was a desperate flight across open waters with more than three hundred other passengers, ten days stranded on a coral reef, and the struggle to survive in a refugee camp before an unexpected sponsorship brought him to America. But Brian's journey was far from over. As he faced language barriers, cultural isolation, and the relentless challenges of starting over, the question remained: would he ever truly find a place to call home?

Flashlight in the Ocean is a gripping account of survival, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit, where every choice could mean the difference between triumph and heartbreak. With each step forward, Brian carried the light of his past-both the burdens and the gifts-illuminating a path toward an uncertain yet hopeful future.

Author: Brian Thuan Luu
Publisher: Traitmarker Media, LLC
Published: 04/24/2025
Pages: 268
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9798348593605

About the Author
Luu, Brian Thuan: - BRIAN THUAN LUU is the author of Flashlight in the Ocean, a powerful memoir of resilience, survival, and hope. Born to a traditional Chinese family in Vinh Long, Vietnam, Brian's early years were shaped by love and hardship. At age two, his family relocated to Saigon, where he spent his childhood-until history intervened.After the Fall of Saigon, at just thirteen years old, Brian made the harrowing decision to leave Vietnam alone on a wooden boat. His perilous journey left him stranded on a coral reef for ten days, waiting for the tide to rise. Under the full moon, his fate changed, and he finally reached safety. Reunited with his siblings in a refugee camp in the Philippines, he faced an uncertain future. But hope arrived in the form of a sponsorship from a Jewish synagogue in Long Island, New York, opening the door to a new life in America.Adjusting to his new home was not without challenges. Brian struggled with a new language and culture but remained determined to succeed. He pursued his education at SUNY Albany, forming lifelong friendships with Scott Burns, who encouraged him to share his extraordinary story.Brian's professional journey began at Far East National Bank in Los Angeles, where he worked the graveyard shift in the computer department. Though unconventional, the job afforded him valuable free time during the day. After five years in California, he returned to Queens, New York, to be closer to his family, securing a position at Great Eastern Bank. There, unexpected opportunities arose-including a weekend gig as a musician at Universal Studio in Flushing.In December 1998, Brian met Jennifer at a Sheraton Hotel in Flushing event. Six months later, they were married. Kind, caring, and beloved by his family, Jennifer became his partner in life and business. She encouraged him to join World Financial Group, a company dedicated to helping families secure their financial futures and empowering individuals to become entrepreneurs. Together, they built a thriving career that granted them financial freedom, the ability to travel the world, and a peaceful home on the waterfront in Long Island.Brian also pursued his passion for music and entertainment, founding Brian Luu's Corp., a premier MC/DJ and event production company specializing in professional sound, dynamic lighting, and unforgettable experiences. Through this venture, he transformed special moments into lifelong memories, blending his love for music with his entrepreneurial spirit.Looking back on his incredible journey-from escaping Vietnam as a boy to building a life filled with love, success, and purpose-Brian is filled with gratitude. He dreams of turning his story into a movie, inspiring others to persevere despite the odds. Flashlight in the Ocean is his testament to the power of faith, determination, and the unwavering belief that every challenge is a step toward something greater.Grayson, Robbie: - ROBBIE GRAYSON III was born into a military family in 1972, where his upbringing unfolded against the backdrop of Cold War Europe. Commencing elementary school in 1977 (Bitburg Elementary School) and culminating in a high school graduation in 1990 (Mehlingen Christian Academy) in former West Germany, Robbie's formative years were also marked by four transformative years in England (1983-1987). His experiences, deeply influenced by the geopolitical tensions of the era, fostered a curiosity about the world and a diplomatic outlook. While traveling Europe with his family and attending DOD (Department of Defense) and private American schools, Robbie encountered diverse individuals and witnessed significant historical events. The tumultuous late 1980s, in particular, left an indelible mark, as he experienced firsthand the repercussions of revolution, notably the Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), the crumbling of Perestroika, and the eventual collapse of Communism.Following graduation from Pensacola Christian College in 1996 with a B.S. in Elementary Education, a minor in English Literature, and an eclectic concentration in psychology, Robbie founded the alternative education program Stone Table School in Franklin, Tennessee, where he dedicated himself to the minds of Music City's elite youth until 2011. Eventually launching Traitmarker, an online non-clinical psychometric platform, in 2007, he established Traitmarker Books, a book publishing company, in 2015, and Traitmarker Media, LLC, in 2023, where he represents authors for media opportunities.Robbie has been married to his wife, Sharilyn Suzette Smith-Grayson, a writer and educator, since 1997. Together, they have six children. They live in Franklin, Tennessee-"The Malibu of the South"-where Robbie maintains a grounded presence that can frequently be seen at a Starbucks in the historic district of Downtown Franklin.Wang, Ming: - DR. MING WANG, Harvard & MIT (MD, magna cum laude), PhD (laser physics, University of Maryland) is a world-class cataract and LASIK eye surgeon, philanthropist, and community activist. He is the founding director of the internationally known Wang Vision Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.As a co-founder of the 501c(3) non-profit organization, the Common Ground Network, Dr. Wang has dedicated his life to helping people find common ground and solutions to problems so they can be more successful and fulfilled in their lives.Dr. Wang has received numerous awards, including the Honor Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Chinese American Physicians, an honorary doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene University, NPR's Philanthropist of the Year Award, and Kiwanis Nashvillian of the Year Award for his lifetime dedication to helping blind orphan children from around the world.The Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration, a 501c(3) non-profit charity founded by Dr. Wang, has helped patients from over 40 states in the U.S. and 55 countries worldwide, with all sight restoration surgeries performed free of charge.Dr. Wang is the founding president of the Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce, co-founder of the Tennessee Immigrant and Minority Business Group, and the founding president of the Founders Club of the 917 Society that helps educate 8th graders in America about the U.S. Constitution.Growing up in the 1960s, Ming had to play the Chinese erhu violin and dance in order to avoid being sent away to labor camps for a life of hard labor and poverty, a devastating fate that fell upon 20 million youths in China. He eventually made his way to America with only $50, where, against all odds, he earned a doctorate degree in laser physics and graduated with an MD (magna cum laude) and the highest honors from Harvard Medical School and MIT.Dr. Wang's autobiography, From Darkness to Sight, is an inspirational story of how one man turned fear, poverty, persecution, and prejudice into healing and love for others. It demonstrates how focus, determination, humility, and profound faith can inspire a life that, in turn, impacts the lives of countless others.The book has inspired a movie called Sight. Dr. Wang's story has also inspired a movie role in the film God's Not Dead.