RIP Tin Nguyen, Vietnamese/American victim of San Bernardino shooters

SUNDAY DINNER, a weekly gathering of the Nguyen family, will take a more somber tone today (Dec. 6) for the family of Tin Nguyen. Nguyen was among the 14 people killed last week in the San Bernardino shooting rampage in what the FBI now call a "terrorist attack."

Tin Nguyen

The victims of the San Bernardino shootings were a portrait of the emerging America. They reflected the growing diversity of the southern California community. They were recent immigrants, 3rd, 4th generation Americans, black, brown, yellow and white. Some were just starting out their careers and some were long-time employees.

They probably could have had higher-paying jobs in the private sector but they chose to work in the public realm in relative obscurity, known only by the people they have helped as they, themselves, try to make ends meet, resolve their own personal relationships, and work towards their own dreams.

The one thing they shared was that they wanted to help their fellow human beings in some way. They wanted to make this a safer and healthier world for their community. 

They had gathered for a training class and holiday office party. One of her coworkers was Syed Rizwan Farook. The quiet Farook sat in the back of the room before leaving without explanation. He left his notebook and jacket so he was expected back. When he returned, havoc broke loose.

RELATED: Who were the victims?

Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, are suspected to be the shooters in what the FBI has called a "terrorist" attack on the room full of San Bernardino County workers.

Among the victims was a 31-year old health inspector Tin Nguyen. She was only 8 when her mother joined the tens of thousands who fled Vietnam and grew up in nearby Santa Ana.

Nguyen's job was to inspect restaurants and make sure that the establishment was maintaining the health standards mandated by the county and state. Never one to say no, she had just returned with donuts to share with her fellow workers.

Little did she know that one of her coworkers and his wife were going to go berserk during the training class.

RELATED: Memorial fund established for Tin Nguyen

Tin Nguyen's large extended family gathered every Sunday for dinner, according to uncle Phu Nguyen. "Tin was a huge part of our gatherings. Everyone loves her spirit, she is so cheerful and so wonderful to be with," he said. "Just days ago, she was trying on wedding dresses and had so much hope for the future."

Tin, a Cal State Fullerton graduate, was planning her 2017nmarriage to San Trinh. "I work day in, day out, saving money. I intended to buy her a new house. We would move her Mom in to live with us. We talked about everything — our marriage: how many kids we wanted to have," Trinh told the Los Angeles Times. "If I could tell people anything from this experience, I'd say: 'Whatever you're planning, don't push it off. Get it done.' "

RELATED: American Muslims fear backlash

"The Muslim community stands shoulder to shoulder with our fellow Americans in repudiating any twisted mindset that would claim to justify such sickening acts of violence," Hussam Ayloush, the executive director of  Council on American-Islamic Relations for the Los Angeles area, said in a statement.

Which brings up the question: Why should Muslims apologize for the actions of Farook and his wife. Do you seen anybody apologizing for the act of the shooter on the Planned Parenthood clinic?

The FBI and terrorism experts and still trying to figure out why the couple and a yet to be identified third person decided to do the attack on that day on those county workers. You can't make sense of a senseless act.

Meanwhile, the Nguyen family is still in shock with the loss of the social center of the family. Today will be spent consoling each other. When her mother Vanessa never heard from her daughter that day, she knew something was wrong.

"She called me every day, two to three times. But not that day, she never," she said. "She's my best friend. She's my best friend ..."

###