Meet Chloe

When Chloe was 9 years old she was forced to witness the public execution of three men by firing squad. The smell of gunpower, and the horrific sight of bodies exploding and crumbling to the ground was absolutely traumatizing. Their crime was watching and distributing K-pop songs and dramas.

 

Years later Chloe was also caught watching a South Korean TV show, and was subjected to terrible physical and verbal abuse. She was spared because her mother pleaded, begged, and bribed the guards handsomely to release her. Despite the terror of punishment, this was the moment she resolved she must find a way to escape. 

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Chloe had no idea how to get to South Korea or what this lonely and frightening journey would entail, but to protect her mother, she could not even hint that she was leaving. “My mother taught me values, kindness, and warmth; she was not only my first teacher in my life but also my closest friend. [That morning] my mother and I lost each other, our most precious ones… That day, she was about to go to work as usual... “Mom, see you later, love you.” I said, trying to make it sound like any ordinary day. I stood there without moving until her back vanished from sight. I could feel as if a knife was piercing my heart. It was the final farewell.” 

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Chloe set out alone often traveling through the woods for days with hardly any food. She moved through villages seeking help from strangers, narrowly escaped capture, and eventually connected with relatives in China to help her secure an escape route through China and Southeast Asia. Although she was not able to see her mother again, she was able to briefly communicate with her mother through relatives after reaching South Korea. Feeling extremely overwhelmed, disadvantaged, and vulnerable in a new environment, her mother’s expression of pride and hope for her daughter inspires her to press on. 

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The compassion and kindness she experiences from colleagues and others who helped her resettle in a new environment sparked a desire and compassion to help others in similar situations. After initially studying social welfare, she decided to pursue a career in dental hygiene to gain knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who could benefit from her care and medical knowledge. Her decision to enter this field is especially meaningful as her mother also has a background in this career. She wants to honor her mom by becoming a skilled, empathetic, and caring dental professional who makes a difference in the lives of those in need.

 

Journey with Chloe as she studies dental hygiene to make a difference through her profession, and pay forward the love and care that her mom and others poured into her life.

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[Note: Given the compromising nature of revealing personally identifiable information of North Koreans, the above image has been chosen by Chloe to represent her campaign.]