It’s a place where he pays tribute to the efforts of the Australian soldiers in Vietnam and it’s also where he remembers his countrymen who escaped from the war-torn country by boat – he was one of them.
At age 10, Longy was one of the youngest South Vietnamese to receive a Tae Kwon Do black belt and six years later in 1981, he was rescued by the Japanese in the South Pacific ocean, arriving in Australia as a refugee.
Longy became a qualified instructor in Tae Kwon Do and Karate Budokan and by 1996, worked alongside Hall of Fame trainer Johnny Lewis, assisting champions such as Anthony Mundine, Danny Green and Gary St Claire.
He joined Manly Sea Eagles as a sports injury therapist under coach Bob Fulton, helped deliver “best jockey of all time” Jimmy Cassidy’s (Pumper) winning form in his comeback year in 1996 and worked with Hollywood action stars like Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving, preparing them for the challenges of ‘The Matrix’.
Combining the best of east and west therapies, he also worked at the Sydney Olympics 2000 and Athens Olympics 2004 ensuring all athletes remained injury free.
Now semi-retired, Longy says it’s important never to forget the efforts of the Australian soldiers who he remembers being a godsend in Vietnam and the thousands who escaped in boats after they left.
“My friends are all racing car drivers, sports celebrities, politicians and movie stars,” he said with a laugh.
“But I’ll never forget what I saw growing up, losing family members and what people went through to keep us safe; they’re in my heart always.”
