Just a few days before Christmas, a community, a family, a community was rebuilding.

When the grand jury announced their decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in late November for the August shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, a sea of reactions came swarming out of Ferguson and St. Louis. It turned into a national debate.

Some three months since the decision was announced and three months since protesters looted and burned businesses along West Florissant Avenue, the media coverage and support has shifted to the next issue, leaving what’s left of Ferguson, Mo.

The people.

When Ru Zhao, Class of 2010, got the call that his parents’ restaurant, On-On Chop Suey, burned down in Ferguson, he didn’t know how to react.

He sat, slack-jawed, and listened as his mother and father tried holding back tears for their 24-year old son.

The Zhaos, who moved to the U.S. from China during the SARs epidemic in 2003, decided to open On-On Chop Suey on Sundays and most major holidays and began to see good business.

After being uprooted from their home, the Zhaos found solace in their restaurant on Chambers Road.
This comfort proved to be short-lived however.

Ru’s father finally decided to board up his restaurant on the day of the announcement.
During a night of protests, looting and destruction, On-On Chop Suey, the Zhao’s prized possession, was caught in the cross-fire.

“Seeing a business slowly grow and develop a base of frequent customers due to years of handwork and having that happen to us is really devastating,” Ru said. “I know my parents are much more devastated.”

Despite living in New York, Ru made it his mission to spread the story of his parents’ situation. In response to a 16-minute YouTube video he made describing his life, friends, family members and strangers donated over $9,000 to help Ru’s parents.

“I wrote a thank you note to everyone that supported us,” he said. “But I don’t think there’s anything in the English dictionary or known human gestures that I can possibly use to describe my appreciation.”

But now the Zhaos must face their next task, finding work.

They hoped that the business plaza that housed On-On Chop Suey would be fit for work soon, but all tenets had to move out of their restaurants in late January.

The owner of the business plaza, Mumtaz Lalani explained that he is talking with different builders and that things are still uncertain.

“He apologized and has asked to relocate our fridge and other equipment out,” Ru added. “So business is no more, and we basically have to start over. We don’t have money for that, so we are probably just going to work for someone.”

Ru’s parents, due to their limited English, plan to work for their friends for another month and a half.

The rest of their journey lies uncertain.