Walking for US immigration joy

A Vietnamese  man is walking across the US to express his appreciation for his adopted country.

Sin Tho Nguyen  who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, is 1,000 miles into his ambitious journey and he aims to promote patriotism in the US. He has walked about 26 miles, or the length of a full marathon, every day since he left Atlantic Beach, Florida on June 10.

The 40-year-old meter reader has no fundraising or sponsorship goals for the 2,600 mile trek. His journey is simply his way of saying “thank you” to his chosen homeland for allowing him to live and work in the US.

“I owe to America so much, and I don’t have any talent at all,” says Nguyen. “I have two legs and a heart. So I decided to walk across America to give thanks to her.”

His journey is not without support. A Fort Worth co-worker trails behind Nguyen in a Ford Focus and the men sometimes sleep in the car at night. Fans also bring him money, food and encouraging words.

Nguyen’s father was a US soldier in Vietnam but father and son never met. In the footsteps of his late father, Nguyen applied for a US visa in 1992 and after a 60-day approval, enlisted in the National Guard and Army.

On his journey Nguyen carries a US flag and straps to his back a sign saying: “Shore to Shore: A Walk Across America to Honor Those Who Serve.”

He says: “This is about America, and it belongs to the troops and their family members. I am a messenger. I carry the flag. America is behind me now.”

Nguyen’s inspiring story paints a picture of an immigrant thriving in his chosen country.

Other famous immigrants who made the move to US and adapted successfully include Levi Strauss and Albert Einstein from Germany, Isaac Asimov from Russia, and Alexander Graham Bell from Scotland.