Newsletter

A Farewell Vigil For Toua Xiong A vigil held in honor of Toua Xiong, coordinated by the Southeast Asian Community Council, on Friday, August 11, 2006, was filled with smiles, laughter, and tears as family and friends walked the path from Pizza Hut to Toua's family's house, located on 25th and Logan. The vigil was in honor of a young man working to provide for his family and himself. Wednesday, August 16, A Farewell Vigil For Toua Xiong Phoua Vang   A vigil held in honor of Toua Xiong, coordinated by the Southeast Asian Community Council, on Friday, August 11, 2006, was filled with smiles, laughter, and tears as family and friends walked the path from Pizza Hut to Toua's family's house, located on 25th and Logan. The vigil was in honor of a young man working to provide for his family and himself. Toua Xiong had worked for the Pizza Hut, located on W. Broadway and Girard, for two years without any sort of problems or conflicts. The job provided Xiong with money to help his family with groceries and utilities, along with paying for his college tuition. It was a job Xiong never thought would one day end his life. The slaying of Toua Xiong happened as he went on a pizza delivery. He never returned. The victim of a robbery and shooting, a gunshot to the back ended his life on August 6, 2006. Toua Xiong will not be forgotten. His good-will efforts and kind heart will forever be remembered, as indicated by those in attendance at the vigil held in his honor. About 50 people, from young to old, gathered to trace the path taken by Toua Xiong from the Pizza Hut to his home; holding candles in remembrance of a bright youth who had always put his family first. He had been debating between Hamline University, Concordia University, and the University of St. Thomas and planned on majoring in Management and Finance. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Vikings and would ask his mother to tape the games for him if he couldn't make it home to watch them. City Council member Don Samuels and Mayor Archie Rybak along with a couple of police officers also took part in the vigil. Mayor Archie Rybak stated that this will be "a walk for peace." Don Samuels said that "not only had the Xiong family lost a son but the community had lost a son" and that "this will be an effort for peace." Mai Yeev stated that as she walked to the home of Toua Xiong, she was stopped and asked by neighbors what were they doing and she replied that this was a walk for peace in honor of Tou Xiong and wanted to emphasize that this was not a "Hmong" walk. The Vigil ended with a prayer and a moment of silence as everyone bowed their heads in honor of a family and a community who had lost a son and in remembrance of someone so young who never had the opportunity to show the world what he could've been to it. In conclusion Tou Xiong's mother, Mee Vang, thanked everyone for coming as tears streamed from her eyes. See Xiong, his sister had stated "I don't understand why…" and maybe…neither shall we…