A six-mile "Stonewalk" from Millis to Sherborn took place on Oct. 3 to honor the memory of Nghia Van Vy, a Vietnamese man who was deported from Millis last year and died two months later.

The Stonewalk is part of an "international journey of conscience that was initiated through The Peace Abbey in 1999, with the participation of interns from Harvard Divinity School," according to Lewis Randa, the founder and director of The Peace Abbey. It is a physical journey in which a heavy granite memorial stone is pulled by participants to a destination. The stone carries an inscription or message, and the act of moving it is meant to be both a spiritual and communal experience.

About 20 people participated in the solemn journey pulling the stone (in a wagon) from the Bethany House Hope Chest in Millis, where Van Vy had been employed, to The Peace Abbey Memorial in Sherborn.

As the group prepared to leave Millis, Randa said, "Every step we do will be a stop for peace."

The event was organized by the Peace Abbey in collaboration with Common Street Spiritual Center, Bethany House Ministries of Millis, and Music with Love.

In her remarks, Sister Ruth Raichle of Bethany House described Nghia as a compassionate, gentle and deeply spiritual man who cared for others throughout his life, from helping Vietnamese refugees escape to safety to creating paper flowers in prison [where he was serving a sentence for a felony] and praying for the people who would receive them. During his 15 years of incarceration, he embraced his Catholic faith, developed his artistic talents and earned the respect of fellow inmates, correctional officers and staff. After his release, he found family at Bethany House, where he lived and worked for more than 17 years, sharing his gifts with the community and bringing joy to others through his work with dogs.

"He was so happy, living and working with us for over 17 years. Everyone loved him, Bethany was truly his family and Nghia was truly our brother," said Sr. Ruth.

In June 2025, event organizers say Van Vy was told to report to ICE to be deported back to Vietnam. After months in ICE custody, he returned to Saigon in September 2025. In November 2025, the Vietnamese government told him he could not stay in that country because of his felony (he would have to go to El Salvador or Sudan or someplace similar); he died by suicide later that night.

Stonewalk organizers said their event was intended to honor Van Vy and ensure his story would not be forgotten, while also remembering others who have been deported. The inscription on the memorial stone read, "In honor of the countless men, women, and children who sought refuge in the United States in search of safety, opportunity, and a better life, only to be torn from their families, homes, and communities through deportation. May this tribute bear witness to their humanity, affirm the dignity of every person, and call us to uphold compassion, justice, and the bonds of family that unite us all. - Underwritten by Bethany House Ministries in Millis, MA, in loving honor of Nghia Van Vy, who was deported to Vietnam in September 2025 and passed away in November 2025."