WHEREAS, Don Ly was born in the small village of Xung Thum where he was taught to speak both Vietnamese and Cambodian and after completing his early education enrolled in the Xung Thun temple as a Buddhist monk, in a traditional rite of passage for a young man in the Buddhist culture. Don obtained the highest diplomas available, the Threy (1st degree), the Tho (2nd degree) and eventually the Eak (3rd degree), which is comparable to a western philosophy degree; and
WHEREAS, Don Ly was known as an exceptional pupil and spent approximately 7 years travelling and studying Theravada Buddhism at various temples in the Xung Thum region of Southeast Asia. Don Ly found Buddhism to be very enlightening and believed and lived its teachings his entire life. Don Ly married his one and only true love, Saroung Thach, in 1971 and together they raised four children; and
WHEREAS, Don, Saroung and their children wishing to escape their poverty stricken, war-torn homeland for a safer and richer foreign country with opportunities to advance emigrated to the United States in June 1990; and
WHEREAS, Don and Saroung Ly sacrificed and worked night and day to send all of their children to Drexel University, taught their children by example the principles of hard work and the benefits of an education and the belief in the democratic system; and
WHEREAS, Don Ly was very active in not only the Vietnamese community but the South Philadelphia community as well and always made sure that he made it home in time to cast his ballot every Election Day; and
WHEREAS, Don Ly was a gentle man, honest, humble and kind to all people, he was taken from us far too soon and his loss is deeply felt in South Philadelphia. With this small gesture we hope to honor the memory of Don Ly; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Vollmer Street between 4th and 5th Streets is also named Don Ly Way.
End