On Sunday, December 28, 1997 Y-Bler Buonya, approximately 22 years old, died of Burkitt's Lymphoma at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, NC. He was the youngest of the Montagnard guerrillas who fought the NVA until 1992. Just before he died, US Representative Howard Coble presented Y-Bler with his US citizenship and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for his service in the cause of freedom. His name is pronounced "E Blair" and his very brief but courageous life, reads as follows.

For years following the 1975 North Vietnamese communist victory over South Vietnam, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) waged a campaign of terror against the Montagnard Tribes. Those suspected of past US loyalty and the Freedom Fighters who answered the US call to keep fighting were hunted. (See The Forgotten Army link on the Montagnard History page).

In the late 1970's Y-Bler's mother was captured and died of an undisclosed cause in prison. Shortly thereafter, his father, brother, two sisters, and the others of his village were killed in a NVA raid.

Hidden until the enemy withdrew, Y-Bler wondered into the jungle. He was around four years old at this time. He drank from streams, ate berries, roots, and snakes for over a year while evading the NVA infantry.

Eventually he was found by one of the Montagnard guerrilla units and taken to their headquarters in eastern Cambodia. Colonel Y-Pen Ayun, the last FULRO Field Commander, looked after Y-Bler who soon became his youngest fighter. His life on the run as a guerrilla continued for another ten to twelve years. At some point he adopted a wild dog and named him FULRO.

In 1992 when Y-Bler was around age seventeen, the Montagnard guerrilla headquarters in Cambodia was discovered by a UN peace-keeping force. The 400 beleaguered survivors were granted political asylum in the US by President Regan.

About to be flown out of the jungle to begin their journey to the US, Y-Bler was told he couldn't take his dog FULRO. Fearing the communists would eat him, Y-Bler asked a friend to shoot FULRO. He buried his dog with some of his bullets and his shirt so he would have his scent when they met in heaven.

Arriving in the US as an orphaned minor, Y-Bler was put in the foster care of a preacher and his family in Greensboro, NC. A well-meaning Montagnard advocate obtained a grant for Y-Bler to attend an exclusive private school where he was put in the eighth grade. He couldn't keep up because he was illiterate and his English was extremely poor. The school officials had him report to the library where he became responsible for teaching himself. The school didn't care, they had the grant money; the preacher acquiesced and the well meaning advocate had moved-on. Three years later, Y-Bler quit school and went to work.

Life with the preacher's family was miserable. When the parents were away, their natural children harassed Y-Bler constantly. Fearing he would be thrown out and have no place to live, he didn't fight back and stayed locked in his room most of the time.

In 1995 Y-Bler developed breathing problems and was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma. The doctor recommended immediate treatment. The parents, apparently without major medical coverage for Y-Bler and not willing to seek other resources, didn't follow-through to have him treated. Was it the Yellow Rain chemical weapons the communists dumped on them, or was it Agent Orange related? Other US Montagnards have died of the same and similar cancers.

In April of last year the family went to the beach for a week and left Y-Bler home because of his deteriorating health. Y-Bler called Greg Dunn, a STMP Director, and told him he couldn't breathe and asked that he get him to a hospital. Greg called Y-Pen Ayun who transported Y-Bler to the hospital.

The same doctor who made the original diagnosis was called and outraged saying the cancer should never have been allowed to progress. At this point the school, as well as the family, situation came to light. Thereafter when Y-Bler was not in the hospital for treatment, he stayed with Y-Pen Ayun or Greg and Debra Dunn.

During one six week period that followed, his chest was opened three times with Greg, Debra, and Y-Pen constantly at his side. The doctors were amazed at Y-Bler's strength, saying they'd never seen anyone survive so much major surgery in such a short period. But that was the only chance to save him, and it worked for a while. A bone marrow transplant was next if he continued to improve. The attending physician, Dr. Brad Sherrill, treated him pro bono and the nurses really looked-after him as well.

During the summer Greg and Debra gave one of their Doberman puppies to Y-Bler and he named him Toby. When in the hospital, Y-BIer would spit on a dog biscuit and ask Debra to take it home to Toby saying that the dog would smell his scent and know it was from him.

The last time I saw Y-Bler was at the MDA Dega Day in September, 1997. He came bouncing up to me dressed in an over-sized yet very proper three-piece suit. He was very cheerful and looked good, considering. Later that month the doctor pronounced Y-Bler's cancer in complete remission.

But within two months it was raging again and the pain became unbearable.

Y-Bler spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with friends and saw his doctor on Friday, December 26th. That evening he went back into the hospital. Although on morphine until the end, he remained conscious and his words were discernible.

US Representative Howard Coble visited and presented him with his US Citizenship and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for his service as a Montagnard Freedom Fighter. Many of Y-Bler's friends were in attendance. There wasn't a dry eye in the room and Coble lost it as well.

Y-Bler told Greg he expected to see his dog FULRO in heaven. He also asked Greg to forgive the preacher and his wife for having neglected him when the cancer may still have been vulnerable to treatment.

In great pain, he fought hard to avoid sleep fearing he may not wake up. On Sunday, eight days later, Debra asked Y-Bler to stop fighting and let go. A close friend of Debra's read some passages from the Bible. Y-Bler said goodbye and a few minutes later he was gone.

The church service was at 1100 hours on January 3, 1998, at the First Baptist Church in Greensboro and the burial at Westminster Gardens.

Click on our BLOG to see the most recent newsletter, covering the events leading up to and during the Memorial Day Picnic....

Full Story

Click here for the
Membership Application!