Lost Child

Sayon's Journey

Painful questions persist concerning the years Sayon Soeun spent under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. After more than 35 years, he recently made contact with five brothers and a sister he assumed were dead. They say that they are sure he is their brother “Yon”. Sayon will follow these clues to Cambodia where he searches for the truth about a family he barely remembers and comes to term with his own experiences as a witness to genocide. The above picture is all that Sayon had left from his family in Cambodia.

Sayon’s possible siblings in Cambodia. (from left: Sao Sim, Thy Sim, Yao Soem, Sareth Sim)

Sayon Souen’s marriage to Sophy Theam in Lowell, MA, 2007. Also seen in this picture, left to right,
BACK ROW, men only: Tymofey Wowk (brother), John Beers (step father) Theodore Beers (brother) John Beers Junior (brother);
FRONT ROW: Katya Wowk (sister), Susan Beers (mother), in front of Susan is Raymond Soeun (Sayon's son)

Sayon Soeun with family in their home in Lowell, MA
(from left: Sayon Soeun, Sophy Theam (Sayon’s wife), Eath Sao (mom of Sophy & Sopheap), Sopheap Theam (Sophy’s sister) & four dogs) Today, Sayon feels blessed to lead a happy and fulfilled life in Lowell, Massachussetts, after being forced into unimaginable hardship and cruelty as a child soldier of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia at the approximate age of 6.
(photo: Beecher Grogan)