1972

My mother grew up in a big family. She had 2 older brothers, 1 younger brother and a younger sister. My grandmother favored her first born the most, and she spoiled her baby girl. The other 3 kids between the oldest and youngest didn't get much attention from the parents. Worst of all, my grandparents were very traditional, which means they valued boys more than girls. Consequently, as a female middle child, my mother was practically invisible.

My second oldest uncle had hemophilia and died in his early teens. All my mother remembers about her older brother is that he was always in pain. Sometimes his joints hurt so much he'd go sit in the living room because he couldn't sleep. My mom would get up and keep him company some nights. My mom said his disease was a big taboo in the family. No one was allowed to ask questions or talk about it. It was seen as something to be ashamed of. When she saw that my second uncle was probably not gonna make it, my grandmother sent him back to Keelung where her own mother lived. My uncle died there, without his parents or siblings. "Then Mother took us back to Keelung one day," my mom recalled, "And that was when we learnt about his death."

My oldest uncle, the Golden Boy, did my grandmother proud. He was tall, handsome, and a university graduate. My uncle was angry with my grandfather for keeping a mistress, and his biggest goal at that time was to work hard, make lots of money, and take my grandmother away from her cheating husband. Unfortunately, long hours and stress took a deadly toll. Right around the time of his own daughter's birth, my uncle became ill. It was terminal stage liver cancer. He passed away 3 months later in the beginning of 1972.

Among all her siblings, my mom was closest to her younger brother. He was the most adventurous and rebellious in the family. He would do things like jumping off from a 4-story high cliff into the river below just to win a stupid bet. When he was in high school, he got into a fight with some kids to stand up for a kid he didn't even know. Every single one of them was taken to the police station. My mother begged grandpa to bail him out, but grandpa was furious and determined to "leave him in jail so he could learn a lesson." Eventually, my grandmother's younger brother came to the rescue. However, because of this criminal record, my youngest uncle was sent to the Marines when it was time for him to serve in the military. My youngest uncle was a paratrooper (I have a funny suspicion he might have enjoyed jumping out of planes). He died during a routine practice when two planes collided, killing the 100-plus soldiers on board. It was the beginning of 1972, one day after my oldest uncle died.

It would be an understatement to say that my grandmother was heart-broken. She lost 2 sons within 48 hours. Her children were not around (3 sons all died and her daughters were married). Her husband was more interested in that young mistress of his. "Grandma was so sad that she lost all her will to live," my mom said. About half a year after my uncles' deaths, grandma was gone.

And I was born.