Son Makes Perilous Trek Through War-torn South Sudan

Ruey & Michaela Dei spent 11 days traveling in Africa--by plane, bus, car, boat and on foot. They trekked many miles through the savanna wilderness of South Sudan, a country embroiled in intertribal war. Feet were bleeding, the temperature was triple-digit hot and their muddy water they had to drink was running out.

 He knew he would have to do it alone, without the support of the government. But when things became desperate, and death loomed, Michaela called the American Embassy. "No, we're not sending a helicopter to swoop you up." The couple felt alone.

But Ruey, who felt pulled to rescue his mother, pressed on. When he was five he was separated from his mother in 1992.  Rescue came in another form. A cousin had heard the couple was out of water, walked to them and brought them something to drink.

They eventually made it to Motot, where Ruey's mother had come to meet them. His mother screamed when she saw him. For many years, she didn't know the fate of her son. The time Ruey spent with his mother had to be shortened to a week, instead of a couple of months as they originally planned. (War)

Michaela says, "You can't unsee what you've seen."
Tuey says, "You can't unknow what you know."