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Incoming UCLA student Dakota ThuyVy Lam dies at age 18

Incoming UCLA student Dakota ThuyVy Lam is pictured. Lam died Oct. 20 at age 18. (Courtesy of Nghia Lam)

By Maggie Konecky

Nov. 25, 2024 8:43 a.m.

When Dakota ThuyVy Lam was 14 years old, she retaught herself how to write.

The athlete, writer and Fountain Valley High School student experienced a stroke caused by immune thrombocytopenia, a blood condition. Although Dakota had difficulty speaking, walking and using her short-term memory, her father, Nghia Trong Lam, said she was determined to regain those skills, keep up in class and even join her school’s golf team.

Dakota graduated high school with honors, became captain of her high school golf team and was accepted to UCLA, which she planned to attend next year, her father said.

Dakota died Oct. 20. She was 18 years old.

“She taught me how to teach, and she taught me how to learn,” Nghia said.

He said he started teaching his daughter golf when she was seven years old as a way for them to spend more time together.

Dakota thrived at the sport, loving both the individual challenge and camaraderie of being on a team, said Fountain Valley High School golf coach Carter Keyser. Dakota continued to play after her stroke, even though her father said the exertion would leave her bedridden for days afterward.

“She turned allergic to sunlight because with certain medication you can’t get in the sun,” Nghia said. “They had a match in Riverside where it was hot and sunny. I told her – I begged her – please don’t go. She told me, ‘(The) team has no chance unless I go.’”

Keyser also said Dakota’s resilience and energy helped propel the team through one of its highest-achieving seasons.

“She always wanted to be out there,” Keyser added. “It was kind of her escape because she loved being out there with all the girls.”

Keyser also said he would end Dakota’s practices early when he could tell she was in pain – only for her to show up the next day and continue right where she left off.

(Courtesy of Nghia Lam)
Lam is pictured among fellow members of her high school golf team and the team's coach, Carter Keyser. (Courtesy of Nghia Lam)

Each step forward and skill regained was a hard-earned achievement, her father said, as Dakota and her family looked toward the future.

The same care and attention defined each part of Dakota’s life, her mother, Kim Nguyen, said. Kim said a three-year-old Dakota memorized the exact route to preschool and spent time precisely folding each tissue during a classroom cold outbreak.

“She doesn’t waste anything,” Nghia said.

Makayla Nguyen, who was Dakota’s friend since kindergarten, said Dakota enjoyed K-pop music and TV shows. She added that Dakota had reached out and welcomed her when Makayla didn’t have anyone to eat lunch with, which strengthened their friendship in high school.

Another friend of Dakota, Doan Tran, recalled time spent with Dakota – ranging from museum trips to exploring IKEA – in a written statement. Tran said in the statement that she remembered spending a day with Dakota collecting sand fleas on the beach and that their friend group had planned another similar hike but were never able to go.

“She was ambitious and hard-working, always fighting for her dreams,” Tran said in the statement. “She deserved to succeed more than anybody.”

Equal to Dakota’s dedication to others was her constant motivation toward self growth, Nghia said. He added that his daughter was artistic and focused, and Kim said she was always looking after her friends.

“The first year after she experienced her first coma, she acted like it never happened,” Makayla said. “She was always laughing, always bright.”

Nghia said his daughter was excited to attend UCLA and prove she could make it on her own. He added that she had to take a gap year before college, though she never complained about the break.

“She was proud of the fact that when she set her goal on something, she would work really hard on it. She would never brag about it,” he added. “She’s very careful about that – never take anything for granted.”

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Maggie Konecky
Konecky is a News staff writer. Konecky is a third-year transfer and a film, television and digital media student.
Konecky is a News staff writer. Konecky is a third-year transfer and a film, television and digital media student.
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