For 60 years, Bill has been my little brother. As recent immigrants to the States, fate had it that we were next door neighbors in our new home. Bill was the same age as my birth younger brother and I can remember a time where at 5 years old, I babysat the 2 three year old brats for a couple hours during the day. As recent immigrants, our elders were either at work or at school and I filled the gap for those daily hours.

We remained friends for life, attending parties together as teen agers and watching each other's backs as younger adults. We played together, we partied together, and we faught together. I spoke to him by phone a few months ago and vowed to see him again. Unfortunately, my brother passed before I saw him again. I am forever grateful to the camaraderie Bill provided for most of my life and I pray for his continued well being in his next life. We have a kinship that will keep us together for eternity, my baby brother.

Shor-father, Bola-mother, Dema-sister and Vera-myself were going to America. But my mother was expecting so instead of going by ship we flew. My mother once mentioned we didn't suffer (seasickness) like the other Kalmyks. We landed in America on November 28, 1951. My mother would often say "Elsata Heurin Namin" (Fortunate 28th). My brother was born the following January in 1952.

There was exciting news in the small Kalmyk community. There was a high lama from Mongolia in the USA, His Holiness Dilowa Gegen Hutugtu. We Kalmyks called him "Eke Gagun". He named my brother who was the first Kalmyk boy to be born in America Oolam Bayar. My brother's name was his wish for us to have greater happiness in our new adopted country. After all the suffering of our parents during the war, I believe the Kalmyks do have greater happiness here in the USA.

After all the suffering my brother experienced in this life, my prayer is he have greater happiness in his next life.