Countdown to Match Day: Jason Han

I first arrived in the United States when I was 10, accompanied by my brother, my parents, and many, many reassurances that this opportunity – immigration, as we later came to know it – would change our lives.

The first few years were filled with excitement and trepidation. Assimilating to a new culture while overcoming a language barrier was immensely challenging. I cried for an entire afternoon after getting a “C” on a quiz because I didn’t know the word, “triangle.”

Our family was dealt a crushing blow when my father lost his job and had to return to South Korea in search of another one. Only a year into our journey, it felt like the American dream was evaporating right in front of us.  

It was during this crisis that my parents made an unforgettable sacrifice. My mother stayed in New Jersey with my brother and me to support our education. My parents’ separation lasted more than a decade, ending only when my brother and I were both in college and she and my father reunited in South Korea.

My parents’ selfless decision and the inspiration they provided us helped propel me toward my dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon.