A smiling man in the foreground is surrounded by floral decorations, with a blurred background of what appears to be an outdoor workshop.

It&rsquo;s with deep sadness that the ROOTS Laos family shares the passing of one of our own, Hoyvanh &ldquo;Tony&rdquo; Khounmixay, on August 9, 2026 in Vientiane, Laos. He died due to severe complications from a lifelong battle with end-stage renal disease (kidney failure), heart disease, and diabetes.&nbsp; Although he had disabilities, he was diligent about making it to Lao language class, going to dialysis treatments every week at Hospital 150, and ensuring he stayed active every day by walking up and down his apartment stairs, finding the freshest fruits around the local neighborhood, and riding around town on his electric scooter. He had a love of gaming and food and recently opened a popular restaurant business with fellow returnees in Vientiane called Western Style BBQ. &nbsp; Tony was born in a refugee camp in the Philippines, while en route from Laos to America, where his family sought asylum in the 1980s. He was from Albert Lea, Minnesota. He is survived by his daughter, siblings, and beloved dog Charlie. Friends and family described him as an incredible homecook, reliable friend, active listener, and honest with his perspective on life. He was kind and genuine with everyone he interacted with, from the ROOTS team to his dialysis nurses. He was deported to Laos in February 2026 by the United States government. He was only 38 years old. Please help the team and his family cover funeral costs associated with properly putting Tony&#39;s spirit to rest. Tony&#39;s life mattered. We know that given the circumstances, he should&#39;ve been here with us today. We appreciate your generosity and care.&nbsp; In hope,&nbsp;Chanida, Chit, Manoun, Sai &amp; The Advisory Board (ROOTS Laos)

Hello <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="color: rgb(42, 42, 196); overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; margin: 0px; padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; box-sizing: inherit;">First name, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping cover funeral expenses for Tony and honoring his memory through your generosity. If you would like to support the team even further, please reach out to us.&nbsp; Chanida Phaengdara Potterchanida@rootslaos.org

It’s with deep sadness that the ROOTS Laos family shares the passing of one of our own, Hoyvanh “Tony” Khounmixay, on August 9, 2026 in Vientiane, Laos. He died due to severe complications from a lifelong battle with end-stage renal disease (kidney failure), heart disease, and diabetes.  Although he had disabilities, he was diligent about making it to Lao language class, going to dialysis treatments every week at Hospital 150, and ensuring he stayed active every day by walking up and down his apartment stairs, finding the freshest fruits around the local neighborhood, and riding around town on his electric scooter. He had a love of gaming and food and recently opened a popular restaurant business with fellow returnees in Vientiane called Western Style BBQ.   Tony was born in a refugee camp in the Philippines, while en route from Laos to America, where his family sought asylum in the 1980s. He was from Albert Lea, Minnesota. He is survived by his daughter, siblings, and beloved dog Charlie. Friends and family described him as an incredible homecook, reliable friend, active listener, and honest with his perspective on life. He was kind and genuine with everyone he interacted with, from the ROOTS team to his dialysis nurses. He was deported to Laos in February 2026 by the United States government. He was only 38 years old. Please help the team and his family cover funeral costs associated with properly putting Tony's spirit to rest. Tony's life mattered. We know that given the circumstances, he should've been here with us today. We appreciate your generosity and care.  In hope, Chanida, Chit, Manoun, Sai &amp; The Advisory Board (ROOTS Laos)

In Memory of Hoyvanh 'Tony'

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ROOTS Laos

**ROOTS Laos Context Profile**

1. **Organization Mission & Cause:**
   - ROOTS Laos is dedicated to providing stable housing and healthcare to vulnerable returnees in Laos. Their mission focuses on supporting individuals who are stateless upon arrival and face significant challenges due to limited healthcare infrastructure and employment opportunities in Laos. They aim to address the needs of disabled returnees requiring ongoing medical attention and secure housing.

2. **Type of Activities:**
   - ROOTS Laos engages in fundraising campaigns, such as the "Housing & Healthcare Fund," to support their mission. They also organize community programs to provide direct assistance to returnees, including securing housing, facilitating medical care, and offering financial support for critical needs like medications and transportation.

3. **Tone of Voice:**
   - The tone of ROOTS Laos is compassionate, urgent, and informative. They emphasize the critical needs of the individuals they support and the impact of donations. The language is direct and empathetic, aiming to connect emotionally with potential donors and supporters.

4. **Emoji Usage:**
   - The organization does not prominently use emojis in their communications. Their content focuses on clear, text-based messaging to convey the seriousness and urgency of their cause.

5. **Key Facts:**
   - ROOTS Laos supports stateless returnees, many of whom have severe chronic conditions and disabilities.
   - They face challenges such as limited healthcare infrastructure and employment opportunities for disabled individuals in Laos.
   - The organization aims to raise $15,000 to cover six months of housing and healthcare for their beneficiaries.
   - They highlight specific cases, such as individuals with diabetes, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and psychosis, to illustrate the urgent need for support.

6. **Writing Guidelines:**
   - Use a compassionate and urgent tone to convey the critical nature of the organization's work.
   - Focus on storytelling by highlighting individual cases and the impact of donations.
   - Maintain a professional and informative style, avoiding overly casual language or emoji use.
   - Emphasize the direct impact of contributions on the lives of returnees, detailing how funds are used for housing, medical care, and essential services.
   - Ensure clarity and empathy in communications to foster a strong emotional connection with the audience.

ROOTS Laos

In Memory of Hoyvanh 'Tony'

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