A-Ee Hang was born to Tou Kong and Khoa Her.
A-Ee and five siblings were killed by their mother on a quiet Thursday afternoon in St Paul, MN.
Hundreds of mourners attended the childrens' funeral. Their bodies were laid to rest, west to east, oldest to youngest.
On September 13, 2009 the children finally received grave markers. Here is part of the story which ran in the Saint Paul paper that evening (edited to remove the details of their death):
"Remembered in Stone - At Last"
By Nick Ferraro
09/13/2009
Eleven years ago today, six St. Paul children slain by their mother were laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Maplewood.
Their graves were unmarked — despite being the victims of the worst mass murder in St. Paul history. But the children — ages 5 to 11 — were not forgotten.
On Sunday afternoon, about 100 people gathered at the cemetery to memorialize the children and mark their gravesites with tombstones. The mourners included the children's father and other family and friends, Hmong community leaders and St. Paul police officers who worked the case.
The ceremony was the culmination of nearly a year's worth of planning by a group of local residents, people who did not know the family but who last October read Pioneer Press columnist Rubén Rosario's story about the unmarked gravesites.
Six 2-by-1-foot flat, gray stones identify the graves of Koua Eai Kong, 11; Samson Kong, 9; Nali Kong, 8; Tang Lung Kong, 7; A-ee Kong, 6; and Tang Kee Kong, 5.
"These graves have been unmarked, but today we mark them for the family and the community," Pat Hogan, the cemetery's superintendent, told the gatherers. "They will be marked forever, and we will never forget."
Billy Leepao Xiong, a family friend, said financial hardship of the father, Tou Kong, was the reason grave markers were never bought. Speaking through Xiong, Tou Kong called the tombstones "the most valuable thing in his life."
The stone markers, which include each child's name and dates of birth and death, were donated by Schoenrock Monument, a nearly century-old, family-operated monument business in St. Paul.
"Everybody should have some kind of marking after they pass away," said owner Chester Schoenrock, 84, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Ann. "And I certainly feel those kids needed something, so when somebody tries to find them, they have some identification. They deserve it."
MEMORIES LIVE ON
For Hogan, Sunday was also a personal anniversary he wishes he could forget.
On Sept. 13, 1998, Hogan dug the massive hole at Lot 134, Block 33 in the cemetery's northwest corner.
"Many people have walked these graves and not even realized they were there," Hogan told the crowd.
About a week after the children were buried, Hogan cleared the site of flowers and a few other personal items that were left. But one item — a small Wilson football — stood out, he said.
"So I kept it safe," Hogan, 38, of North St. Paul, said. "And I taught my kids to play catch with it, and I remembered those children."
On Sunday, Hogan, who helped plan the event, presented the football to the children's father "as an example of how the memories live on."
Tou Kong said a few words in the Hmong language before breaking down and receiving a hug from Tziaeng Vang, who served on the planning committee and led the ceremony.
"Grief is something that you cannot translate," Vang said. "But I think you all know his message."
In July, planning committee members Cindy Xiong, a community corrections aide for Ramsey County, and her older sister, Ong Xiong, a St. Paul charter school teacher, met with Khoua Her.
The committee agreed to include the mother in the ceremony. On Sunday, Ong Xiong read her prepared statement.
"I love you," Khoua Her wrote. "Thank you for giving me a chance to be a mother. It had been a great gift to share the experience with you. Thank you for being a blessing to me. You are my strengths, my hope and motivation. You are my everything and all that I have and treasure. I am truly sorry you had to pay the price in which you didn't deserve."
Ka Houa Yang, chairman of the Lao Family Community of Minnesota, told the crowd to think about what the children could have become.
"One day, they could have been the president, or a doctor, lawyer and wealthiest leader of our community," he said.
After the markers were unveiled, the children's family and friends and community members placed 66 white roses — to mark the 11 years since the six deaths — on the headstones.
Siblings:
Koua Eai Hang
Nali Hang
Samson Hang
Tang Lung Hang
Tung Kee Hang
A-Ee and five siblings were killed by their mother on a quiet Thursday afternoon in St Paul, MN.
Hundreds of mourners attended the childrens' funeral. Their bodies were laid to rest, west to east, oldest to youngest.
On September 13, 2009 the children finally received grave markers. Here is part of the story which ran in the Saint Paul paper that evening (edited to remove the details of their death):
"Remembered in Stone - At Last"
By Nick Ferraro
09/13/2009
Eleven years ago today, six St. Paul children slain by their mother were laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Maplewood.
Their graves were unmarked — despite being the victims of the worst mass murder in St. Paul history. But the children — ages 5 to 11 — were not forgotten.
On Sunday afternoon, about 100 people gathered at the cemetery to memorialize the children and mark their gravesites with tombstones. The mourners included the children's father and other family and friends, Hmong community leaders and St. Paul police officers who worked the case.
The ceremony was the culmination of nearly a year's worth of planning by a group of local residents, people who did not know the family but who last October read Pioneer Press columnist Rubén Rosario's story about the unmarked gravesites.
Six 2-by-1-foot flat, gray stones identify the graves of Koua Eai Kong, 11; Samson Kong, 9; Nali Kong, 8; Tang Lung Kong, 7; A-ee Kong, 6; and Tang Kee Kong, 5.
"These graves have been unmarked, but today we mark them for the family and the community," Pat Hogan, the cemetery's superintendent, told the gatherers. "They will be marked forever, and we will never forget."
Billy Leepao Xiong, a family friend, said financial hardship of the father, Tou Kong, was the reason grave markers were never bought. Speaking through Xiong, Tou Kong called the tombstones "the most valuable thing in his life."
The stone markers, which include each child's name and dates of birth and death, were donated by Schoenrock Monument, a nearly century-old, family-operated monument business in St. Paul.
"Everybody should have some kind of marking after they pass away," said owner Chester Schoenrock, 84, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Ann. "And I certainly feel those kids needed something, so when somebody tries to find them, they have some identification. They deserve it."
MEMORIES LIVE ON
For Hogan, Sunday was also a personal anniversary he wishes he could forget.
On Sept. 13, 1998, Hogan dug the massive hole at Lot 134, Block 33 in the cemetery's northwest corner.
"Many people have walked these graves and not even realized they were there," Hogan told the crowd.
About a week after the children were buried, Hogan cleared the site of flowers and a few other personal items that were left. But one item — a small Wilson football — stood out, he said.
"So I kept it safe," Hogan, 38, of North St. Paul, said. "And I taught my kids to play catch with it, and I remembered those children."
On Sunday, Hogan, who helped plan the event, presented the football to the children's father "as an example of how the memories live on."
Tou Kong said a few words in the Hmong language before breaking down and receiving a hug from Tziaeng Vang, who served on the planning committee and led the ceremony.
"Grief is something that you cannot translate," Vang said. "But I think you all know his message."
In July, planning committee members Cindy Xiong, a community corrections aide for Ramsey County, and her older sister, Ong Xiong, a St. Paul charter school teacher, met with Khoua Her.
The committee agreed to include the mother in the ceremony. On Sunday, Ong Xiong read her prepared statement.
"I love you," Khoua Her wrote. "Thank you for giving me a chance to be a mother. It had been a great gift to share the experience with you. Thank you for being a blessing to me. You are my strengths, my hope and motivation. You are my everything and all that I have and treasure. I am truly sorry you had to pay the price in which you didn't deserve."
Ka Houa Yang, chairman of the Lao Family Community of Minnesota, told the crowd to think about what the children could have become.
"One day, they could have been the president, or a doctor, lawyer and wealthiest leader of our community," he said.
After the markers were unveiled, the children's family and friends and community members placed 66 white roses — to mark the 11 years since the six deaths — on the headstones.
Siblings:
Koua Eai Hang
Nali Hang
Samson Hang
Tang Lung Hang
Tung Kee Hang
A-Ee Hang was born to Tou Kong and Khoa Her.
A-Ee and five siblings were killed by their mother on a quiet Thursday afternoon in St Paul, MN.
Hundreds of mourners attended the childrens' funeral. Their bodies were laid to rest, west to east, oldest to youngest.
On September 13, 2009 the children finally received grave markers. Here is part of the story which ran in the Saint Paul paper that evening (edited to remove the details of their death):
"Remembered in Stone - At Last"
By Nick Ferraro
09/13/2009
Eleven years ago today, six St. Paul children slain by their mother were laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Maplewood.
Their graves were unmarked — despite being the victims of the worst mass murder in St. Paul history. But the children — ages 5 to 11 — were not forgotten.
On Sunday afternoon, about 100 people gathered at the cemetery to memorialize the children and mark their gravesites with tombstones. The mourners included the children's father and other family and friends, Hmong community leaders and St. Paul police officers who worked the case.
The ceremony was the culmination of nearly a year's worth of planning by a group of local residents, people who did not know the family but who last October read Pioneer Press columnist Rubén Rosario's story about the unmarked gravesites.
Six 2-by-1-foot flat, gray stones identify the graves of Koua Eai Kong, 11; Samson Kong, 9; Nali Kong, 8; Tang Lung Kong, 7; A-ee Kong, 6; and Tang Kee Kong, 5.
"These graves have been unmarked, but today we mark them for the family and the community," Pat Hogan, the cemetery's superintendent, told the gatherers. "They will be marked forever, and we will never forget."
Billy Leepao Xiong, a family friend, said financial hardship of the father, Tou Kong, was the reason grave markers were never bought. Speaking through Xiong, Tou Kong called the tombstones "the most valuable thing in his life."
The stone markers, which include each child's name and dates of birth and death, were donated by Schoenrock Monument, a nearly century-old, family-operated monument business in St. Paul.
"Everybody should have some kind of marking after they pass away," said owner Chester Schoenrock, 84, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Ann. "And I certainly feel those kids needed something, so when somebody tries to find them, they have some identification. They deserve it."
MEMORIES LIVE ON
For Hogan, Sunday was also a personal anniversary he wishes he could forget.
On Sept. 13, 1998, Hogan dug the massive hole at Lot 134, Block 33 in the cemetery's northwest corner.
"Many people have walked these graves and not even realized they were there," Hogan told the crowd.
About a week after the children were buried, Hogan cleared the site of flowers and a few other personal items that were left. But one item — a small Wilson football — stood out, he said.
"So I kept it safe," Hogan, 38, of North St. Paul, said. "And I taught my kids to play catch with it, and I remembered those children."
On Sunday, Hogan, who helped plan the event, presented the football to the children's father "as an example of how the memories live on."
Tou Kong said a few words in the Hmong language before breaking down and receiving a hug from Tziaeng Vang, who served on the planning committee and led the ceremony.
"Grief is something that you cannot translate," Vang said. "But I think you all know his message."
In July, planning committee members Cindy Xiong, a community corrections aide for Ramsey County, and her older sister, Ong Xiong, a St. Paul charter school teacher, met with Khoua Her.
The committee agreed to include the mother in the ceremony. On Sunday, Ong Xiong read her prepared statement.
"I love you," Khoua Her wrote. "Thank you for giving me a chance to be a mother. It had been a great gift to share the experience with you. Thank you for being a blessing to me. You are my strengths, my hope and motivation. You are my everything and all that I have and treasure. I am truly sorry you had to pay the price in which you didn't deserve."
Ka Houa Yang, chairman of the Lao Family Community of Minnesota, told the crowd to think about what the children could have become.
"One day, they could have been the president, or a doctor, lawyer and wealthiest leader of our community," he said.
After the markers were unveiled, the children's family and friends and community members placed 66 white roses — to mark the 11 years since the six deaths — on the headstones.
Siblings:
Koua Eai Hang
Nali Hang
Samson Hang
Tang Lung Hang
Tung Kee Hang
A-Ee and five siblings were killed by their mother on a quiet Thursday afternoon in St Paul, MN.
Hundreds of mourners attended the childrens' funeral. Their bodies were laid to rest, west to east, oldest to youngest.
On September 13, 2009 the children finally received grave markers. Here is part of the story which ran in the Saint Paul paper that evening (edited to remove the details of their death):
"Remembered in Stone - At Last"
By Nick Ferraro
09/13/2009
Eleven years ago today, six St. Paul children slain by their mother were laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Maplewood.
Their graves were unmarked — despite being the victims of the worst mass murder in St. Paul history. But the children — ages 5 to 11 — were not forgotten.
On Sunday afternoon, about 100 people gathered at the cemetery to memorialize the children and mark their gravesites with tombstones. The mourners included the children's father and other family and friends, Hmong community leaders and St. Paul police officers who worked the case.
The ceremony was the culmination of nearly a year's worth of planning by a group of local residents, people who did not know the family but who last October read Pioneer Press columnist Rubén Rosario's story about the unmarked gravesites.
Six 2-by-1-foot flat, gray stones identify the graves of Koua Eai Kong, 11; Samson Kong, 9; Nali Kong, 8; Tang Lung Kong, 7; A-ee Kong, 6; and Tang Kee Kong, 5.
"These graves have been unmarked, but today we mark them for the family and the community," Pat Hogan, the cemetery's superintendent, told the gatherers. "They will be marked forever, and we will never forget."
Billy Leepao Xiong, a family friend, said financial hardship of the father, Tou Kong, was the reason grave markers were never bought. Speaking through Xiong, Tou Kong called the tombstones "the most valuable thing in his life."
The stone markers, which include each child's name and dates of birth and death, were donated by Schoenrock Monument, a nearly century-old, family-operated monument business in St. Paul.
"Everybody should have some kind of marking after they pass away," said owner Chester Schoenrock, 84, who attended the ceremony with his wife, Ann. "And I certainly feel those kids needed something, so when somebody tries to find them, they have some identification. They deserve it."
MEMORIES LIVE ON
For Hogan, Sunday was also a personal anniversary he wishes he could forget.
On Sept. 13, 1998, Hogan dug the massive hole at Lot 134, Block 33 in the cemetery's northwest corner.
"Many people have walked these graves and not even realized they were there," Hogan told the crowd.
About a week after the children were buried, Hogan cleared the site of flowers and a few other personal items that were left. But one item — a small Wilson football — stood out, he said.
"So I kept it safe," Hogan, 38, of North St. Paul, said. "And I taught my kids to play catch with it, and I remembered those children."
On Sunday, Hogan, who helped plan the event, presented the football to the children's father "as an example of how the memories live on."
Tou Kong said a few words in the Hmong language before breaking down and receiving a hug from Tziaeng Vang, who served on the planning committee and led the ceremony.
"Grief is something that you cannot translate," Vang said. "But I think you all know his message."
In July, planning committee members Cindy Xiong, a community corrections aide for Ramsey County, and her older sister, Ong Xiong, a St. Paul charter school teacher, met with Khoua Her.
The committee agreed to include the mother in the ceremony. On Sunday, Ong Xiong read her prepared statement.
"I love you," Khoua Her wrote. "Thank you for giving me a chance to be a mother. It had been a great gift to share the experience with you. Thank you for being a blessing to me. You are my strengths, my hope and motivation. You are my everything and all that I have and treasure. I am truly sorry you had to pay the price in which you didn't deserve."
Ka Houa Yang, chairman of the Lao Family Community of Minnesota, told the crowd to think about what the children could have become.
"One day, they could have been the president, or a doctor, lawyer and wealthiest leader of our community," he said.
After the markers were unveiled, the children's family and friends and community members placed 66 white roses — to mark the 11 years since the six deaths — on the headstones.
Siblings:
Koua Eai Hang
Nali Hang
Samson Hang
Tang Lung Hang
Tung Kee Hang
Gravesite Details
In keeping with Hmong tradition, the headstone contains the family name 'Kong'.
