Vu was born on December 5, 1957, and was the eldest of ten children born into a prosperous family in South Vietnam. His father was a landowner, businessman, and member of the military. Vu received his early education at a Catholic school in Saigon. In 1975, at the age of 17, Vu and his family were among the many South Vietnamese
boat people who fled Vietnam during the
Fall of Saigon. Their departure occurred amid chaotic conditions, including explosions and Viet Cong artillery fire directed at evacuation vessels. The family became separated during this period. Vu has recounted an incident where he, two sisters, and a brother switched boats shortly before witnessing the destruction of the original boat in an explosion. As refugees, the Vu family was processed through centers in the Philippines and Guam before arriving at
Eglin Air Force Base in northern Florida. The base served as a temporary resettlement location for over 10,000 Vietnamese refugees during the summer of 1975. The Vu family subsequently settled in a two-bedroom apartment in
Altamonte Springs, Florida. Upon arrival in the United States, Vu did not speak English. Vu has stated that he attempted to self-study using an English-Vietnamese dictionary and a novel. He engaged in various entry-level jobs, including working as a busboy, grocery bagger, and dishwasher, to support himself. Vu began attending college and earnt a
Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the
University of Central Florida at the end of 1980. ==Infomercial career==