Luan Volien Abbott | Gallery |
Luan Volien Abbott | |||||||||||
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Elizabeth Sung as Luan Volien Abbott | |||||||||||
Portrayed by | Elizabeth Sung | ||||||||||
Duration | 1994-1996 | ||||||||||
First appearance | June 1994 | ||||||||||
Last appearance | March 4, 1996 | ||||||||||
Cause/reason | Died | ||||||||||
Profile | |||||||||||
Cause of death | Terminal Illness | ||||||||||
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Luan Volien Abbott (born Luan Nguyen) was portrayed by Elizabeth Sung.
Biography[]
Luan Volien was the mother of Keemo Volien Abbott and Mai Volien and the grandmother of Allie Nguyen.
In 1974 while serving in Vietnam, Jack Abbott fell in love with Luan but they separated at the conclusion of the war.
Twenty years later in 1994, Christine Blair became friends with Luan who owned and operated her own restaurant, The Saigon Shack. It was Chris' favorite. When Luan was shot in a robbery at the restaurant, she pleaded with Christine to find Keemo before she died. Christine and Paul Williams traveled to Vietnam where they found handsome 20 year old Keemo.
Keemo was belligerent and resentful, assuming his mother had abandoned him in Vietnam as a child. But they convinced Keemo to return with them to Genoa City. After a tearful reunion, Luan recovered from her wounds. Keemo moved in with Luan and her teenage daughter, Mai. From stories Luan told her, Christine deduced that Jack had been Luan's lover while he was a soldier in Vietnam and had fathered Keemo.
Luan and Jack were reunited. Luan informed Jack that after the war, she gave birth to their son, Keemo. Luan told Keemo that Jack was his father, which angered him because Keemo had always believed that his American father had deserted them. When Keemo learned how Jack and Luan had been separated, he accepted Jack as his father.
In 1995, Jack and Luan rekindled their young romance. Luan brought out a softer side seldom seen in Jack. They were married in a beautiful wedding. The bride wore Vietnamese traditional red and Keemo as best man wore white. Luan had been ill but she did not tell Jack. Shortly after getting married, Luan was diagnosed with a terminal illness and hid it from Jack at first.
Jack inadvertently discovered that Luan had a terminal illness. He resolved to keep his knowledge a secret so that her remaining months with him would be happy. They became a very close family. Luan's daughter came to live with them.
In 1996, Luan died from the illness. Jack was devastated. Nikki Newman comforted Jack as he grieved for Luan. Jack and Nikki shed a tear together. When Keemo learned that Jack had known that Luan was seriously ill, he accused his father of stealing precious time that he and Mai could have spent with their mother.
Eventually, Keemo forgave his father. To Jack's disappointment, Keemo announced that he was returning to Vietnam with Mai. Jack regretted that Keemo was no longer in his life but said that they were still in touch. Mari Jo Mason helped Jack get over the death of Luan, but became obsessed with him.
Relationships[]
Parents[]
- Hao Nguyen
Marriage[]
- Jack Abbott (dissolved)
Children[]
- Keemo Volien Abbott (son with Jack)
- Mai Volien (daughter)
Grandchildren[]
- Allie Nguyen (granddaughter, via Keemo)