Christopher Vaia looks to promote idea of reconciliation across Korea


One retired U.S. soldier has become the face of friendly community relations to honor his Korean-American daughter’s legacy of building bridges between unlikely sides.

Christopher Vaia, better known by community children as “Balloon Ajeossi,” is spending his retirement years by serving up smiles, lending a friendly ear and making balloon animals for the local community.

A retired Army sergeant major, Vaia has been reaching out to those in nursing homes, orphanages, veteran’s hospitals and other social welfare homes.

Recognized by the Korean social welfare community, the 65-year-old was one of the first to be recognized by newly elected Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon as an honorary citizen of the capital.

But Vaia’s journey of spreading joy came from an unfortunate start: The death of his 13-year-old daughter, Jeni, in 1991.

Jeni died in 1991 of an asthma attack, which would have left most fathers in despair, but Vaia was motivated by it, along Jeni’s ability to bring communities together.

“Everything is based upon my desire to honor my daughter,” said Vaia.

“We came up with a little idea of a bridge and that’s how it all got started, to bridge the young and old, Japanese and Koreans.”

Vaia brought the very same idea to the county that he now calls home and brings together Koreans and fellow U.S. citizens to spread a little laughter, Patch Adams-style.

One way Vaia achieves this is through an organization called Bridgebuilders 46, which attempts to “bridge” U.S. and Korean communities together ― something especially needed now, as tensions are high after crimes committed by U.S. soldiers.

The organization teaches Korean and U.S. volunteers to create balloon animals, a skill that Vaia taught himself and finds a useful way of spreading joy, and together they visit various welfare centers over the weekend.

Vaia also partners with numerous organizations, including the Korean American Youth Alliance, the Korean Association of Retired People, and the Association of Korea-U.S.A. Friendship Alliance.

With these organizations, Vaia does anything and everything from teaching conversational English, tending graves of U.S. soldiers, listening to stories and just being a friend to those in their last hours.

For his efforts, Vaia has also been recognized by the USFK Good Neighbor program.

Vaia also shared special moments with other expatriate volunteers like Molly Holt of Holt Children’s Services and Patricia Hill, wife of former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Christopher Hill.

Together with Holt, Vaia would visit the Holt Ilsan Center in Gyeonggi, Province, a center for severely disabled, much like Angel’s Haven in Seoul, which Vaia would visit with Hill.

It is hard to imagine that he has time to enjoy his retirement, but Vaia says this is something he needs to do.

“Quite frankly it keeps me from getting bored,” said Vaia, adding that he is the “least hardworking American in Korea.”

In memory of Jeni, a little bridge was placed next to her middle school in Camp Zama, Japan, to symbolize reconciliation.

Vaia hopes to spread this message by building more bridges like the one in Japan around Asia, including Yongsan.

“Any group or individual that feels they are up against hopelessness, fear maybe even anger and despair, there is hope,” Vaia wished to tell the public.

“I can’t tell anyone that tomorrow is going to be a better day. What I can say is that tomorrow is going to be different.”

By Robert Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)