Tomorrow I'm Dead

About the Book

In 1975, US troops had withdrawn from Cambodia, leaving the people defenseless against Pol Pot’s army, the Khmer Rouge. As the army took over Cambodia, thousands of innocent people were ordered out of their homes. In April 1975, fourteen-year-old Bun Yom was forced at gunpoint, along with his family, to march toward the steaming jungle. After a soldier separated Yom from his family, he had no idea he would not see them again for nine years.

In his account of his involuntary journey from a normal childhood to enslavement in conditions so inhumane it seemed only death could free him, Yom shares a compelling glimpse into his three years working in the Killing Fields, his terrifying escape, and his determination to rescue thousands of Cambodian people as a freedom fighter in the resistance movement. As Yom chronicles his experiences in Cambodia, two refugee camps, and finally in the United States as a penniless immigrant who spoke no English, he shines a light on his incredible resolve to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Tomorrow I’m Dead is the true story of a young Cambodian Freedom Army soldier who used wisdom, courage, and compassion to liberate slaves from the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields and perseverance to ultimately create a new beginning in America.

About the Author

Bun Yom was born in Pailin, Cambodia. After the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975, Bun became a prisoner who eventually escaped, joined the army of resistance, lived in refugee camps in two countries, and immigrated to America. He has lived in Ellensburg, Washington, since 1984.