Saray Rath

Saray Rath, also known as Ty, Cheng was 70 years of age when he passed on August 18, 2022 with his family and children by his side.

He was born on September 8, 1951 in Takeo, Cambodia within the village of Kraing Tnong to Mrs. Sorn, Ya and Mr. Ty, Chuuen. Being the second eldest out of twelve siblings, he was very passionate about education. Because of this, he loved reading and learning about everything. His love for knowledge was contagious.

Saray completed Bati High School during the flourishing era of Cambodian monarchy. In 1967-1970, he went on to college and was devoted to becoming a Buddhist disciple at Wat Angkor Vireak where he learned many sanskrit scriptures.

He was loved and respected by the people of Chrong Sdao Village, also known as Khmer Tmei, and therefore he was elected to become the mayor from 1971 to 1975. Soon after, Saray departed from his birth village and family to continue work at the island of Polawei in Sihanoukville.

In 1977 Kampongsoam, Cambodia, he married Bo Peou and had his eldest son Them Rath. In 1979, after the Khmer Rouge regime, along with tens of thousands of Cambodians, Saray took his family and younger sister Thach Rath to Thailand for refuge. There, he had three more children, Thai Rath, Sarong Rath, and Vassana Rath.

During his 10 years as a refugee in Thailand, his natural inclination to lead allowed him to pursue roles as a mentor and communal leader. As a result, he became the representative for all of the Cambodian people at Panatikhom refugee camp in the year 1989. He dedicated his life to serving the people under his care. When a life and death situation arised, without hesitation, Saray represented the people by putting his life on the line to save those who were wrongfully convicted. He saved and helped many families, and he worked alongside UN partners and was given the UNHCR award for the humanitarian work he did. By the end of his days in Thailand, he made many lifelong friendships that have endured the test of time–he left a lasting impression and was remembered by many people he came across.

In 1990, Saray, his family and younger sister Thach Rath migrated to America to begin a new life with better opportunities for his family. He strived to continue pursuing knowledge and overcame every obstacle in order to attend vocational school to become a vehicle mechanic hoping to support his family. He did not let being in a foreign land stop him. With everything he learned, he would lend a hand to any friend who needed his help without expecting anything in return. Their friendship was always enough for him.

As Saray continued to try and build a good life in America for his family, he emphasized the importance of remembering your roots. He continued to be a filial son and supported his elderly parents and relatives in Cambodia. He provided assistance to his siblings to continue their education and made sure his relatives there lived comfortably with all the necessities. Moreover, he continuously donated to help people in need, build water wells, roads, and temples in his village.

Due to all the obstacles and sufferings that he had to overcome– the hardship that he went through during the war, being a filial son, a loyal and faithful husband, a responsible father, and being the protector of the ones he loved– he often forgot to take care of his own health. Saray later found out he was diagnosed with diabetes type 1.

Until the end, he had his wife, son, daughters, and qualifying doctors to help treat and take care of him. However, it was not enough to cure him and Saray succumbed to his illness. Many hearts were broken as he left behind his legacy, loved ones and all of his relatives and friends, leaving only a photo and many good memories behind. Even though we can no longer hear his voice, it continues to resonate within us. We will always remember what he taught and showed us: live with purpose, to be a good person, to love purely, to make good merits, to be forgiving, to have empathy, to give without expecting, to let go gracefully and most importantly, to live peacefully. We hope his teachings and ways will live within you today as it lives within us.