Frank Bellino / The Press-EnterpriseSopheap Ly from Hemet has written a book called "No Dream Beyond My Reach" about her experiences as a survivor of Cambodia's killing fields and her quest to overcome it all and become a doctor.
By MICHAEL PERRAULT
The Press-Enterprise
http://www.pe.com
HEMET - Dr. Sopheap Ly's tranquil home in west Hemet is a world away from the Cambodian killing fields she survived during the 1970s.
These days, the only fracas Sopheap (pronounced so-peep) Ly and her dentist husband Kaustubh Marathe hear is the occasional cries of their twin infant daughters, Sonali and Manali.
Yet Ly has chosen to relive a nightmare of slave labor, beatings, death and other hardships in a book she has titled "No Dream Beyond My Reach."
Ly believes readers will come away with an uplifting message about turning horror, heartache and disappointment into "sweet victory."
"I want to share my sadness with the world, but also inspire and bring hope," said Ly, who overcame tremendous odds to become a physician.
The memoir, due out this month, immerses readers in the harrowing struggles she and her family endured under Khmer Rouge soldiers and the infamous Pol Pot regime. In 1975, when she was 5 years old, she was abducted and forced into slave labor, typically working 14 hours a day in the rice fields. Her father eventually was beheaded, and her grandparents died of starvation.
"When I realized I would never see my father again, I cried for days," Ly said, her eyes tearing up a quarter century later. "All I had were memories of his love and his words."
Ly dedicated the book to her father, who instilled in her an early dream to pursue a medical career. When things got truly tough, it was his face and words that got her through, she said.
The Phnom Penh native arrived in the United States at age 16 with no formal education. She attended Santa Ana High School, juggled jobs and studies and took on student loans to eventually graduate from Howard University's College of Medicine. She is board certified in internal medicine.
Frank Bellino / The Press-EnterpriseDr. Sopheap Ly from Hemet writes in her book about her time as a slave laborer and her father's death.
Ly commutes to her job as a physician at the Veterans Administration Healthcare System in San Diego and is an assistant professor of medicine at UC San Diego. A nanny helps the couple with the babies, she said.
Throughout the book, Ly credits mentors and friends with inspiring her to achieve her dream. Dee Gomez, a Santa Ana High School teacher, recognized Ly's potential and steered her into advanced placement courses and a higher level of learning.
Aretha Makia, a fellow medical student and former Miss Cameroon, befriended Ly and provided "love and understanding" as they laughed, cried and pushed through the toughest times to earn their diplomas.
"As far as I know, Aretha is one of the first beauty queens who is a practicing physician today," Ly said. "She is a board certified OB/GYN working with Kaiser Permanente in Maryland."
Ly said her life has been a remarkable journey. She believes her father gave her "excellent genes and a can-do attitude" to persevere.
"I wish my dad were alive today -- especially around Father's Day -- to see me excel," Ly said.
"The hardest part is remembering my father, who really touched my heart."
Reach Michael Perrault at 951-763-3464 or mperrault@PE.com
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