Roger R Wong

Roger was the biggest reason I was able to stay sane while in jail for a month after my own family called the police on me. He constantly reassured me, while acknowledging that the process moves too slowly for real justice. He made me feel like even if I had to spend all month in jail over some absol...ute nonsense like I did, everything would eventually be okay. He took what was a terrifying legal situation, and just a horrible situation for my life, and made it seem like the solutions would be simple. Perhaps most importantly, he joked and laughed with me about the injustice we were facing. He worked tirelessly to help me with no thought of what the reward would be, calling dozens of mental health institutions to try and find me a place to stay since the court had done everything they could to tear me away from my family. What strikes me most about Roger in hindsight was his humility. Talking to him quickly began to feel like talking to an old friend. He treated me with absolute respect and never tried to impress me with his resume, which I now realize is... impressive to say the least. It's clear that his work in Guam, Seattle and everywhere he has been in his life has given him perspective and an open mind. I might be dead or worse today without the help of Roger Wong. He met me where I was at one of the lowest points in my life. As much as the system will try to dehumanize us all, it's people like Roger that remind me that no matter how much your heart is broken, no one can ever take it away from you. My mother has a story she likes to tell about one of her first days in college: she was looking for a professor named Mr. Wright. She approached the first man she saw at the building where his office was supposed to be and asked, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Wright?" And he said, "No, I'm Mr. Wong." She thinks, bless her heart, that this story is hilarious. I know a little better. Sometimes, Mr. Wong is Mr. Right!!!