Dinh keeps focus on wheel as ceremony celebrates family’s freedom – Murray Ledger and Times

MURRAY On Sunday, longtime Murray martial arts instructor Tung Dinh seemed to be joking that Tuesdays start of his latest fitness challenge honoring he and his family coming to America many years ago would probably be devoid of him saying much.

He was not joking. While dignitaries that included several United States military veterans and several community leaders gave their thoughts, Dinh demonstrated the discipline that has allowed him to have such success in this activity; he just kept going, without saying a word, just he and the abdominal wheel that he is going to push and pull back about 10,000 times in a 24-hour period that ends at about 3:30 this afternoon.

But he was not disappointed in not having a lot to do with a ceremony that honored his family. He knew he had to do, so it was left to someone else to speak on his behalf, his sister Huong Kelly.

Freedom, as you know, is not truly free, so were standing here today as a family, thanking you and for the veterans and active military who have done what they have so we can truly be free, said Kelly, who is one of seven children that Giao and Hoa Dinh brought from Vietnam in 1975 as they took one of the last flights out of Saigon before Communist North Vietnamese forces assumed control of their home territory.

Hoa, now 90, was in the audience at Murrays Quest Fitness facility where her son is, still at this time, engaged in his mission to complete 24 hours of abdominal wheel reps. She watched Tuesdays ceremony, as Tung strayed focused on his work, with someone she and her family had no idea would play such a key role in their lives once in America, Murrayan Jennye Sue Smock, who sponsored the Dinh family with her husband, Hunt.

They were all so young then, Jennye Sue recalled of the seven Dinh children after they arrived in Murray. I dont think they spoke English, so that was hard, trying to talk to them.

But I remember when Id go over to see them, that everybody would be sitting around the table and (Hoa) had them reading books and they had to read out loud. She was a good teacher.

Much of the ceremony was recorded on a cellphone and that was how Huong and Jenny Sue planned to show Hunt what happened Tuesday. Hunt was unable to travel from a medical facility in Marshall County.

Like Tung, Hunt served in the American military, which had a strong presence in Tuesdays ceremony. About 10 members of Billy Lane Lauffer American Legion Post 73 attended the event, recognizing Tungs effort to spread the freedom theme in his own special way.

The days events also had a military person serving as emcee, longtime friend to the Dinh family, retired Army Col. Darrel McFerron. There are also was another visitor special to the Dinh family, one of Tungs taekwondo students, Spencer Balentine of Marshall County, who had s special reason for attending.

Lauffer, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for valor displayed shortly after arriving in Vietnam in 1966, was his cousin.

Its a good day. Im proud to come over today and represent my cousin, Billy Lane Higgins Lauffer, Balentine said, making sure to include the extra name. Then, he talked about his instructor.

Ive been with Master Dinh about 20 years now and he just amazes me. He amazed me when he did the 100-mile run in 24 hours, which I think was about 10 years ago. Then he amazed me again when he did the 30 hours of sit-ups (with son Christian) five years ago. But this is really amazing. To me, the wheel is the hardest device to exercise on. I can go maybe five minutes, then Im done.

I cant imagine 24 hours, or 45 hours (which Tung will attempt in April).

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Dinh keeps focus on wheel as ceremony celebrates family's freedom - Murray Ledger and Times