Luong, born in 1993 in Hung Yen, Vietnam, met American engineer Walter F. Hammer in 2023 through friends in Ho Chi Minh City. After traveling to the United States in March 2025, she married Walter a month later and, in August 2025, moved with her son Liam to the Rush Valley Mills estate in rural Pennsylvania.

The Rush Valley Mills estate covers four hectares and was bought by Walter in 2003. The property includes several historic structures that reflect more than three centuries of local industry and life.

One of the most striking buildings is a 375‑square‑meter red wooden structure that operated as a water‑powered gristmill from around 1718. Walter transformed this former mill into four rental apartments, preserving its external character while creating modern living units.

Nearby, a green house built around 1750 measures about 120 square meters. Walter renovated it into a comfortable family residence, adding a kitchen, a workspace, a study room and several bedrooms.

Walter devoted seven years to renovating the estate, working weekends without taking vacations," Luong said.

Today the family lives in the renovated green house, cultivating Vietnamese herbs along the stream and preparing traditional dishes such as braised pork and chicken pho. Their daily routine blends the estate’s historic atmosphere with modern rural Pennsylvania life.

The project shows how dedication can breathe new life into centuries‑old buildings, allowing history to coexist with contemporary family needs and cultural traditions.