At just 13 years old, Long Don's life came down to a simple, terrifying equation: a 50–50 chance of living or dying. In today's episode of From Dark to Light, Long shares his extraordinary path from communist-controlled Vietnam to the open ocean, a brutal refugee camp, and eventually the United States — where he would rebuild his life from the ground up.

Sent away by his mother in a desperate attempt to save him, Long boarded a small fishing boat with 153 others, hiding beneath the deck in suffocating darkness for days at a time. He survived starvation, the threat of pirates, and the constant fear of being captured. After nearly two weeks at sea, he was rescued and taken to Snell Island, a refugee camp known for its overcrowding and unimaginable conditions.

Long spent eight long months there alone — hungry, scared, and unsure of wha ...