“Respected Appa,” You taught me the value of hard work in your quiet way—through early mornings at the factory, calloused hands guiding mine. I learned from you that a man’s worth is measured by his integrity and the kindness he shows others.
Since I was taken from the only home I ever knew, I have felt your absence in every moment. Your last embrace, firm and steady, still echoes in my bones. I understand now how much pain you carried when I was forced away, and I regret that I could not spare you that grief.
Know that I honor your lessons every day. Though I walk unfamiliar streets, I carry your dignity with me. I strive to become the man you raised me to be: honest, resilient, and compassionate. When this ordeal ends, I will return to you—not as the child you once knew, but as a man shaped by hardship and ready to make you proud.
With deep respect and love,
Your son,
Joseph
