[no Rain] Awesome KPop Moment of the Week: Insooni’s Reunion with Friend & Former USFK GI Ron Lewis
~Cloud Cover by Terri :-}, Managing Editor
This is a Cloud USA original article. If you share it, please do so in its entirety and with all credits intact. Thank you!
You never really forget those people who have made a difference in your life. Never. Not matter how far you travel. No matter how many years pass. No matter how long you live.
Sometimes, it’s just a kind word or a smile when you need it the most. Sometimes, it’s a couch to sleep on for the few weeks in between graduation and basic training. Sometimes, however, it a lot more—like the kindnesses a group of U.S. servicemen showed an ostracized, mixed-race girl while they were stationed in South Korea 38 years ago.
Insooni was 16 years old when she met Ronald Lewis and his buddies at Camp Casey, a U.S. Army post in the town of Dongducheon. The soldiers, boys themselves, were troubled by the teen’s circumstances, and so they reached out to her. “She was always sitting outside by herself,” Lewis recalled. “So a few of the soldiers brought her clothes and helped her as much as we could.”
In spite of the fact that her father was an African American U.S. soldier who had abandoned her and
her Korean mother, Insooni found herself comforted by the boys’ caring attitudes. “Before I met them, I had repulsion about Americans because my family background and home environment were difficult,” Insooni said. “But, after getting along with them, I came to feel all human beings are the same, and Americans are good.”
Insooni wanted to become a nurse. Lewis never even knew she could sing. Eventually, the boys’ tour of duty in South Korea was over and they all moved on. Everyone kept in touch for awhile, but eventually, their communications trickled to a halt.
Until now.
Despite their being continents apart from each other, Lewis and Insooni never forgot each other. The girl never forgot the consideration Lewis and the other boys had shown her. The boy never forgot how difficult the girl’s lot in life had been. Lewis “prayed for her continuously.” Insooni “never forgot his eyes.”
Because the guys used mostly nicknames, Lewis’s was the only name Insooni could remember. Last year, during a performance for U.S. military personnel in Seoul, Insooni happened to meet Major General Michael Tucker, The 2nd Infantry Division’s Commander. She told him about Lewis and the other American soldiers who had shown her such kindness all those years ago. She asked him to help her find them. Soon afterward, she and Lewis spoke by phone and he discovered that the little girl he had befriended so long ago had become a superstar.
You can read the original Stars and Stripes article about Insooni’s reconnection with Ronald Lewis HERE.
You can read The ChosunIlbo‘s coverage of the story and watch the video of their touching reunion in Delaware, HERE.
You can read Westport News.com‘s (Wilmington, DE) detailed write-up about the reunion event HERE.
There are two things in this world that never fail to touch my heart. One of them is watching someone live their dream. The other is discovering that someone’s prayers have been answered. This, my friends, is that rare tale of both.
Enjoy.
Terri @cloudusa.wordpress.com :-} / www.cloudusa.org
Sources (news & photos): Stars and Stripes-1; Stars and Stripes-2; The ChosunIlbo; Westport News; AP-Newsis
Cloud USA 
[…] https://cloudusa.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/no-rain-awesome-kpop-moment-of-the-week-insoonis-reunion-wi… […]
LikeLike
Insooni’s Reunion with GI friend: A great Blog Post by Cloud USA | Dream of the Water Children 水子の夢 said this on October 22, 2011 at 12:34 pm |
Terri, I had to post this to my neice’s wall, I love her so much and well were not far apart in age but she calls me mom. To her I am mom, I don’t know if she will respond here on CloudUSA but I do know it will touch her as it did me.
Again thanks, and I’m done with y’all tonight all this damn crying ITS TO LATE at night!!
LikeLike
Lotus,
Thank you. It is such an uplifting story, isn’t it?
And your niece is extremely lucky to have you. Aw…a little crying is good for the soul and replenishes the spirit. So, cry if you wanna.
Terri :-}
LikeLike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSp5kc3xA8A&feature=share
I had to share this with my cloudusa sisters because I just found this sister yesterday and shes doing the damn thing y’all.
Thank you for all the info on Miss Insooni, this kind of stuff just gets me.
LikeLike
this is beautiful
LikeLike
I am also a huge fan of Insooni and I live here in Delaware, not to far from Wilmington. I am so happy for their reunion. And just to think that it happened right here in my backyard. ^_^
LikeLike
woowo this so nice to read she very give such a good hope and have life in her hard way being race and it so nice to know Lweis very help her and keep up like a family member i mean it hard to foune anyboy out side to treat u like best sister u meet u know
and Lewis very grateful to her this was very a special think to see them again for all those year when they separated a bit and she never fail to forget it . and i wish her success to became true and became BIG of her dream too this was very nice story Lewis very have such a heart for her who have live as a hard way in her life this so beautiful their hardly anybody this fait wowoow 🙂
LikeLike
Wow!! What a beautiful story!! I knew about Insooni because of you girls cuz you put a video of her sometime ago but I never thought she got such a difficult time in childhood. Her story is amazing and to think that could have ended in a tragic way but God took care of her thru this man, Mr. Lewis. Is obvious that he is a man with a beautiful heart. May God bless them forever.
LikeLike
Such a beautiful story. Sometimes in life you meet certain people that make an impact on your life forever.
LikeLike
She has a lovely voice. I just saw 1 of Insoon’s videos.
LikeLike
Absolutely AWSOME- what a wonderful example of compassion
for your fellow man-no matter the various differences that separate
us in the end we are all the same-human beings who need love,
comfort, care and support.
LikeLike
This is a very touching story to me and one easily relatable to by many of us in this country, for obvious reasons. I am so glad Insooni was able to reconnect with at least one of the soldiers who showed her such kindness. My personal belief is that God is ALWAYS watching and you just never know when He will open up the blessings floodgates.
LikeLike
Woow!!!Thanks to Terri & to all staff of Cloud USA,how wonderful this story,i like this topic & i’m so touching.When i saw Insooni i knew she is a mixed race.I believed sometimes if have a dream there is way that God give you an angel to guide you & send you a good people to help you in your dreams,like what happened to Insooni,Mr Lewis help her & support her until she reached her dream.Until they seperate each other & not knowing,but of course there is way to meet again & this time the moment that they meet was a happy moment & so touching it is a big reunion,nobody knows after all years past one day they meet each other…Now,Insooni her life now was totally complete hehehe…I want to request that can you post here a video Rain together w/ Insooni on stage?PLease! i could not found in YT,i like Insooni too she have a golden voice,thank you!!!
LikeLike
Marites,
It was my pleasure.
We will certainly look and see if we can find that video of Insooni and Rain for you. Not sure we can, but we’ll try.
Terri :-}
LikeLike
Ms Terri,
I hope Ms Terri you can find,but if not its ok sweety,thanks for your responsed its my honored also….
LikeLike
Marites,
I didn’t have any luck finding anything. Maybe I’m mistaken, but I could have sworn there was a video with them appearing together too. But I swear I can’t find anything like that out there. And I’m a pretty good researcher too.
Oh well. I’ll keep looking and if I find anything, I’ll let you know.
Terri :-}
LikeLike
GREAT job, Terri! I love this article. You did Insooni and Mr. Lewis justice.
Stephe ^@@^
LikeLike
Thanks, chingu. :-}
Terri :-}
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing this…. I knew Insooni had experienced hard times growing up because of her mixed race, and it’s nice to learn about the people who helped her along the way. This was a very special reunion, and after all these years, who would have thought…. A Blessing to both of them.
LikeLike
This is an amazing story, now it makes perfect sense why Rain is such a big fan of Insooni.
LikeLike