by Nick Macknight, Profiles Editor

In a school where employees are encouraged to build relationships with students, Sim Tith has stood out since his arrival in 1989.

Born in Kompong-Cham, Cambodia in 1944, Mr. Tith grew up with both his parents and siblings in a country of turmoil, but within their family, they preached stability.

“No matter what was going on with our government, our family tried to remain calm and happy,” said Mr. Tith.

photo by alexa kutler and brent beckert   THE MAN BEHIND THE SHADES: When Sim Tith is not working on the football field or washing buses, he enjoys talking with students about his many adventures before and after the Vietnam War. Over the years he has built strong relationships with students, since he attends many sporting events.

After finishing high school in 1963, Mr. Tith joined the Cambodian Military Academy and remained at the academy until graduation in 1968. After his time there, Mr. Tith decided to join the Cambodian Army and serve his country.

What Mr. Tith did not expect was to meet his wife in the process.

“I met my wife Leng in 1969 and we’ve been married ever since,” said Mr. Tith.

After meeting her, times turned worse in Cambodia when the government collapsed, and soon thereafter the United States began talks with them for a peace treaty because they wanted allegiances before the war in Vietnam began.
Once the United States and Cambodia’s relations strenghened. Mr. Tith enlisted in a new special military force called the Military Equipment Team Delivery Cambodia (METDC).

“I was enlisted in the METDC, because the United States wanted to create a special forces group that knew the territory and could interact with the people ,” he said.

In 1973 Mr. Tith and his delivery team flew into battlegrounds and fought in the Vietnam War. The Cambodian troops were told to go in and save troops fighting for the United States.

“We went into Vietnam and retrieved soldiers that were ailing or dead,” said Mr. Tith.

After the war, Mr. Tith remained in Cambodia until 1975 when he was forced to join the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of Cambodia.

“The Khmer Rouge came looking for capable soldiers in our village, and if we didn’t join, they assumed you were siding with the U.S. and would either torture or kill you,” said Mr. Tith.

The Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia and remained in power until 1979, killing 1.7 million people in the process. Through execution, starvation and manual labor, the party became one of the most violent regimes of the 20th century.

“I stayed with the Khmer Rouge for four years, but the conditions were dreadful, because there was low food and medicine,” said Mr. Tith.

Mr. Tith’s escape from these conditions came in 1980 when he fled the Khmer Rouge and found a safe haven on the Thailand border. Once at the border, their group flew to the Philippines and after receiving proper medical treatment, Mr. Tith and a few friends flew to Philadelphia.

“I came to Philadelphia and after filing for social security, a friend called and told me to meet him in Texas for service work,” said Mr. Tith.

In 1981, Mr. Tith traveled down to Texas and began service work with his friend by handing out food to the poor and building shelters for the homeless.

After eight years of helping the less fortunate in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Mr. Tith had the opportunity to work as a maintenance worker.

“I jumped on the opportunity, because I knew working at a school like that I would be able to stabilize my career and form relationships with students,” said Mr. Tith.

Mr. Tith has been a steady maintenance worker since his arrival and his job description changes with his age. Mr. Tith used to manage the gym but now he works on the football field and maintains the buses.

“Mr. Tith has always been a very reliable worker and he’s vital to our staff because he shows up everyday and works hard,” said Bruce Thompson director of buildings and grounds.

Mr. Tith enjoys befriending members of the community. He greets many students who are willing to talk to him, and he always has stories to tell.

“Mr. Tith is really easy to talk to, because he’s always so friendly and sociable,” said senior A.J. Rush.

Mr. Tith’s background in Vietnam and his life in the army allow him to share many stories about his life.

“I love the stories he has about ’Nam, and I think hearing about his life is interesting,” said A.J.
Besides the stories Mr. Tith tells students while passing them by on campus, he also forges a strong connection with students by the way he cares about their sports teams.

“He knows every sport I play, and he always comes to watch all of our home games,” said eighth grader Ryan Mack.

Mr. Tith has become a favorite among students and he reciprocates those feelings back to the community.

“I love my job, because it feels like a family with all the students I know and talk to; but it’s always sad to see them leave or graduate,” said Mr. Tith.