Earthquake claims UCLA alumna

Earthquake claims UCLA alumna

By Lucia Sanchez

Daily Bruin Staff

A UCLA alumna was among the more than 2,000 people killed in
Japan’s devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake Tuesday morning.

Voni Lynn Wong, 24, was killed in her Ashiya home when it
collapsed during the earthquake ­ the first American fatality
reported.

After graduating magna cum laude in the spring of 1993, with a
bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA, she later moved to Japan
where she taught English for almost a year.

Ironically, Wong had left for Japan only 12 days before last
year’s Northridge earthquake.

Currently, Wong’s family has been in touch with the U.S.
Ambassador to Japan, Walter Mondale, concerning the return of her
body to the United States.

"We do want her back for a Christian burial. We want her to be
returned and home," her father Harry Wong said. "There’s a concern
because in Japan there is a custom of cremation, (and) in that
sense we were concerned about the state department’s efforts."

"The key thing is praying that Voni is not cremated ­ that
her body is brought back," her brother Jon Wong expressed. "We have
less worries about her spirit compared to her physical body."

The family has received assurances that their daughter will be
returned and not cremated, they said.

"We trust that it’s true, that we will get her body back for a
Christian burial," her father said.

Friends of the family in Osaka are working with them for the
return of Wong’s body and the recovery of her possessions.

Harry Wong described his daughter as a vivacious, adventurous
person, well-suited to her major, who was also interested in
theater. He is sure she was active in more activities than he is
aware of, he said.

"At this point she was interested in seeing the world and
contributing to society and that was a challenge to her," he
explained.

"The (Japanese) culture seemed to benefit her. She felt
comfortable and loved by the people there," he continued. "She felt
at home there and made a lot of friends."

Not only was Voni Wong adventuresome, her father said, she did
things her family had never attempted. After spending a semester in
Massachusetts, she returned home and became a vegetarian. In Japan
she moved half a dozen times, each time trying to improve her
living situation.

"She always looked to improve herself," her father
explained.

To illustrate this further, Harry Wong shares a story about his
daughter. Voni Wong made an agreement with a woman to train her son
in English in exchange for free board. Either as a result of
miscommunication, or the woman’s jealousy, Wong was kicked out of
the home by the woman.

"She was left out in the cold," her father explained. "It was so
traumatic and she called us collect and we prayed over it and I
comforted her.

"That’s the only kind of downer experience she had in Japan. She
loved her experience in Japan, but her real interest was in China
because of our heritage."

Recently, Wong returned to Japan from a two week vacation in
China where she fulfilled a life-long desire to see that nation’s
pandas.

In her last communication with her parents Voni Wong told them
in a postcard that she had almost touched a panda, said her
father.

Her future plans included teaching English in China for a year,
he added.

Harry Wong said his daughter had accomplished much and the UCLA
community should be proud of her.

"She’s still very beautiful and now she’s glorious up there," he
said.

After graduating from Grant High School in the San Fernando
Valley in 1988, Wong attended Cal State Northridge and later
transferred to UCLA where she worked as a contributing writer at
UCLA’s Asian Pacific Newsmagazine, PacTies.

Members of the UCLA community expressed their sadness at Wong’s
death.

"I was shocked and filled with disbelief. I couldn’t believe
that it was true, and I still can’t believe it’s true," said Sandra
Mendoza, a friend of 12 years and second-year social welfare
graduate student at UCLA.

Mendoza, who attended the same junior high and high schools as
Wong, remembers her as a great friend ­ kind, loving and
energetic.

"(But) when I think of Voni, I think of pandas," Mendoza said in
reference to Wong’s love of pandas.

At least Wong was able to fulfill a lifelong wish to see China’s
pandas a few weeks ago, she added.

"Voni was always laughing, she had an upbeat personality,"
Mendoza said."She was full of hopes and dreams."

Chancellor Charles Young sent a letter of condolence to Wong’s
family in light of her death.

"Voni is fondly remembered here as an outstanding student and a
lovely human being," the letter said. "How proud we all are of her
decision to pursue teaching and how saddened to see her promising
future cut short so tragically."

Wong was born and raised in Van Nuys and attended Madison Jr.
High School.

While attending Grant High in the San Fernando Valley, Wong
maintained a rigorous academic schedule and is remembered well by
former teachers, Grant High School Principal Eve Sherman said.

"She was an outstanding student. She was an advanced placement
student," she said. "The teachers who remember her have nothing but
fond memories."

Although no plans have been made, those at the high school who
remember Wong would like to do something in her memory, Sherman
added.