Maya Soetoro, sister of presidential candidate Barack Obama, poses with her husband, Konrad Ng of Burlington, Ont., and their daughter Suhaila, 4, after meeting with Obama supporters in Honolulu in May 2007. (Lucy Pemoni/Associated Press)
A close family

In his only visit to Canada, Ng's now-famous brother-in-law came to Burlington in 2003 for the wedding of his younger half-sister Maya Soetoro, who he grew up with.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, flew into Toronto, rented a hotel room with their daughters Malia Ann and Sasha, before they drove the 120 kilometres south to Niagara Falls. The Obamas also visited Ng's parents in Burlington and hung out at Spencer Smith Park for a few hours.

Ng's Canadian family has crossed the border in the other direction to be in Chicago on election night. "I really wanted my parents to experience history," he said.

Ng met his future wife in Hawaii while working on his PhD in political science at the University of Hawaii. (After Obama's mother divorced Barack Obama Sr., she married Lolo Soetoro, moved to Indonesia and gave birth to Maya. Later, the family moved to Hawaii.)
The Hawaii connection

In Hawaii, Ng took an active role in Obama's campaign, calling voters, writing a blog and "reaching out to Asian and Pacific islanders voters." Like Obama, he used his love of new media and the internet to get the message out.

Ng said Obama was doing what he usually does on election day — playing some basketball to keep things loose — after a gruelling, almost two-year campaign.

He seemed about to describe more about the routine, but then there was a slight pause.

"There's another call. It's him," Ng said quickly before saying good-bye.

Apparently the basketball game was over. Yes, it's a surreal world for Ng right now.