Dan Durke’s first visit to Redondo Beach, CA in 1984, with friends. He was about 19 years old. He recalls being stared at, maybe because he and his friends were wearing knee high socks at the beach.
Dan Durke’s Gardena High School ID card from 1984-1985. Dan hadn’t changed his name yet and is identified by his original name: Maysak Doeuk. Dan graduated in 1987.
Dan Durke standing in front of his cousin’s red Impala in Long Beach, CA in 1983. This was the first car his cousin bought. The cousin sponsored Dan to the U.S.
Dan Durke (2nd from left in white t-shirt) is pictured in the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp in Thailand with three distant relatives who escaped with him to Thailand, c. 1982. The group had pooled their money to hire someone to guide them safely through the mine-infested jungle to the Thai border. From left to right: Hun, Dan Durke, Klong, and Ly. Note the three red circles on Hun’s forehead. These circles result from a traditional treatment for illness, known as “chub” (cupping). Dan stayed in touch with Klong who lived in Stockton and worked as a truck driver. Hun has since passed away.
