R.I.P. Thuy Trang 1973-2001
Well, I'm sure none of you have heard the sad, sad news. Thuy Trang, the talented, beautiful actress who played the original Yellow Ranger Trini, died in a tragic car accident in September 2001. To be honest, I'm writing this because I feel guilty about making fun of her acting and saying some nasty things (and I don't mean sexually) about her in a review of a power rangers episode I wrote. I honestly don't know why that makes me sad, but for whatever reason, it does and I'm going to go on and on about it whether you like it or not. Likely because of the shocking events of September 11th, or having no idea of who she is, none of you may have gotten this news at all. But it's a definite fact, and a terrible shame.
I must confess, I'm not the most avid Thuy Trang fan. I didn't follow her career beyond Power Rangers, nor did I research her life before the role that started her acting career. However, once I discovered the tragedy, I felt compelled to find out a little more about her. And I'll share my insights with you.
Thuy Trang was born in Vietnam, and traveled to the United States with her family at six years of age. However, she didn't come by plane, as many travelers do nowadays... her family came aboard a cargo ship packed with refugees. She didn't have the strongest health either, and her mother had to struggle to keep her young daughter alive during the trip. She and her family arrived on the shores of California in 1979.
Despite a rough beginning, her family managed to provide her with a relatively normal childhood thereafter. She grew up in the United States, began her study of kung fu at nine, and pursued an education in civil engineering until she caught the "acting bug."
That's her life in a nutshell. Amazing, because before this, I didn't even know her name. I just knew her as "The Yellow Ranger" but decided to see where the original Power Rangers are now. But it does teach me something: Thuy's life is a story of triumph over tribulation. She lived a very short life, but in that life she managed to make a mark on the world. It's very difficult to find a way to change the world, even in a small way. Through her role as Trini Kwan, Thuy taught millions of young girls that they could be just as tough as the boys. That they could be smart, strong, and beautiful all at once. That they could make a difference, by organizing their friends to fight against gigantic monsters, or just talking to a giant floating head in a jar.
Well, that's all I have to say and yes, I am in an incredibly weird mood to have written this.
I must confess, I'm not the most avid Thuy Trang fan. I didn't follow her career beyond Power Rangers, nor did I research her life before the role that started her acting career. However, once I discovered the tragedy, I felt compelled to find out a little more about her. And I'll share my insights with you.
Thuy Trang was born in Vietnam, and traveled to the United States with her family at six years of age. However, she didn't come by plane, as many travelers do nowadays... her family came aboard a cargo ship packed with refugees. She didn't have the strongest health either, and her mother had to struggle to keep her young daughter alive during the trip. She and her family arrived on the shores of California in 1979.
Despite a rough beginning, her family managed to provide her with a relatively normal childhood thereafter. She grew up in the United States, began her study of kung fu at nine, and pursued an education in civil engineering until she caught the "acting bug."
That's her life in a nutshell. Amazing, because before this, I didn't even know her name. I just knew her as "The Yellow Ranger" but decided to see where the original Power Rangers are now. But it does teach me something: Thuy's life is a story of triumph over tribulation. She lived a very short life, but in that life she managed to make a mark on the world. It's very difficult to find a way to change the world, even in a small way. Through her role as Trini Kwan, Thuy taught millions of young girls that they could be just as tough as the boys. That they could be smart, strong, and beautiful all at once. That they could make a difference, by organizing their friends to fight against gigantic monsters, or just talking to a giant floating head in a jar.
Well, that's all I have to say and yes, I am in an incredibly weird mood to have written this.