ROCKVILLE, Md. — Inside the Rockville library, two women sit in front of a laptop watching YouTube videos and smiling. If You didn’t know better you would think they are sisters, but there was a time when Regina Richardson and Kitti Tong just worked together.
“You know that coworker that seems to get everything done and do it with ease?” Regina Richardson said. “That’s Kitti.”
In November of 2018, they both worked at a hospitality company in Rockville. One night a block away from where they sit now, that relationship changed.
Kitti stepped into the intersection of Gibbs Street and Beall Avenue and a car hit her.
“She was in a coma for a month,” Regina said. “Doctors weren’t sure she was going to survive.”
“I woke up one month later and was like, ‘Where are we?’” Kitti said.
Regina was the first one to the hospital that night.
From then on, Regina became more than a co-worker. She had to. Kitti is from China. Several years ago, her mother passed away and she has little to no contact with her father.
So, on this road to recovery, Regina took on a new role: Guardian.
“By a court of law I am responsible for her,” she said.
Kitti’s accident left her with a traumatic brain injury. She has aphasia — a cognitive impairment of her speech. Each week she improves a little more with speech therapy.
“I can see the images of what I want to say,” Kitti said. “But it is hard to say it.”
She does not work and, as a result, she no longer has a visa. She and Regina must fight to keep her in the country.
“I have to find a box to check, a way to keep her here,” Regina said.
They started a website: Citizenship for Kitti. They’ve spoken with her elected representatives in Virginia.
Recently, they filed for asylum for medical reasons, but that process could take 10 years.
“Which creates additional stress which adds to the trauma that already occurred,” Regina said.
She needs stability and safety at most.”
The two continue to fight two battles: Kitt’s recovery and her quest for citizenship. But, not as coworkers, rather as sisters.
WUSA9 reached out to Virginia Senator Tim Kaine’s office. His staff said he is aware of Kitti’s heartbreaking story and continues to monitor her situation.
They added Senator Kaine has concerns over the constant processing delays at the Citizenship and Immigration Services and he has filed formal letters with the agency over their delays.