Thai boy carries friend to school for 5 years

(Baonghean.vn) - For 5 years, rain or shine, on the small road to school in Ta Co village (Chau Hanh, Quy Chau, Nghe An), Vi Van Khanh has never left his disabled friend for a single day. Their friendship is as beautiful as a fairy tale in real life...

A violent childhood

This season, Da Dong stream is full of water, which is the source of life for many people in Ta Co village (Chau Hanh, Quy Chau). Every afternoon, together with the villagers, Vi Van Khanh carries his disabled friend to the stream. Letting his friend sit on the bank, Khanh busily searches for the remaining mussels and crabs in each rocky crevice. No matter how little or much, having them means that Khanh and his friend's meals no longer have to be dipped in sesame salt.

Vi Van Khanh's family is the poorest in the village, his parents are often sick. Because they have no money for medical treatment and only rely on herbs picked from the forest, their health is getting worse. All the housework is gradually falling on the shoulders of the 11-year-old boy. Because he grew up and worked hard at an early age, he looks much more mature than his age.

Because of his difficult circumstances, he sympathized with his friend who lived near his house and had to suffer from a disability at an early age - Vi Nhat Canh. Over the years, their friendship has grown stronger and stronger, making the people here admire him wholeheartedly and consider him an example for the children in the village.

For 5 years, Vi Van Khanh has regularly carried his friend Vi Nhat Canh (paralyzed) to school. Photo: Nga Nga

Talking about Vi Nhat Canh, he was quite disadvantaged because he was born with cerebral palsy. Since childhood, he could not walk like his peers and could not speak fluently. His mother was also a disabled woman, so when he was born, his biological father heartlessly abandoned the two of them and went abroad. Since then, the mother and child have lived in a charity house built by the neighbors to support each other.

When I was 3 years old, a man in Tan Lac Town, while building a rented house for Ta Co village, learned about the situation of mother and daughter, felt compassion and married my mother. Since then, my stepfather has become a solid support for me and my mother. My father always cared for me, encouraged me to go to school to get along with my friends, and most of all, to learn to read and write, to become a useful person for society.

Every day, outside of class, the two friends review their lessons at home. Photo: Thanh Quynh

With his father's encouragement, Canh had a dream of going to school. But because of his inferiority complex, he still lived alone, isolated from the outside world.

Until one day, my neighbor Vi Van Khanh shared and decided to carry me to school, then that dream became a reality. Since then, Khanh has become his friend's legs, legs of determination and faith to give strength to his disabled friend to go to school and overcome the thorns on that path.

The way to school of two brave tin soldiers

The small road from home to school, nearly 1.5 km long, is not peaceful. The Da Doong stream is fine in the dry season, but in the rainy season, when the water level rises, the young couple gambles with death in the face of rushing water and slippery rocks.

After crossing the stream, the two of them had to go through steep slopes. Seeing his friend’s shirt soaked with sweat, Canh cried on his back many times. Those were also the moments when he promised himself to study hard so that his friend’s sweat wouldn’t be wasted on him.

It was not until 2014 that the road from their home to school was repaired, and the once-fierce Da Dong stream was crossed by a large, wide bridge. The road was more beautiful, and the two children had grown up, but those difficult days were still imprinted in their minds.

Recalling the first time he carried his friend to school, Khanh was moved: “The first few times we went to school, we had to wake up at 5am to get ready. The road wasn’t very long, but because our legs were tired and weary, we had to rest many times. Canh was already in poor health and had sore legs, so even though he was being carried, his blood pressure was still low. But we both tried to promise each other to go to school so as not to disappoint our teachers and parents.”

Touching image of Khanh carrying his friend to receive a certificate of merit at the end of the school year ceremony. Photo: Nga Nga

5 years have passed, rain or shine, Khanh has never let his friend miss a single day of school, or even be late. More than anyone, Khanh knows that his friend has shortcomings that cannot be compensated for. If he misses a lecture, a class, or every word the teacher says, it will be extremely difficult for him to keep up with the program.

At home, Canh relies on his parents' help for all his personal activities, but when he goes to school, Khanh volunteers to be his friend's hands and feet, from getting books and pens to going to the bathroom or doing any other chores.

Both of them have always been students with high scores in the class, receiving many certificates of merit from the school. For many years, Canh has always been a person with many high achievements in studying. Talking about myself, I always consider all the joy, happiness, and success that I have achieved not only because of my own efforts but also because of the sweat and hard work of my friends who have always kindly helped and encouraged me throughout the past time.

Standing side by side with the two young students is Ms. Tran Thi Thuy, the homeroom teacher. Admiring the pure friendship and the will to succeed of her students, she was the one who proposed to the school to waive all the school fees for the two students. On rainy days, when Khanh could not carry his friend home, she would take them both home.

Confiding in us, she said: "Both of them are good students in the class, with a studious spirit. Despite their difficult family circumstances, they never miss a class and are always ready to help their friends when they encounter difficulties. That is the pride of the class in particular and the school in general. The school community has always cared for, helped and always believed that they will succeed."

The school year-end ceremony has passed, but the image of two children carrying each other to receive the school's certificate of merit has brought tears to the eyes of teachers and friends of the same age. Although the road ahead is still full of difficulties, but with that friendship, with the tolerance, sharing and determination of the two little friends, one day not far away, the two brave tin soldiers will realize their dream. The dream of living a meaningful life.

Let's see the couple carry each other to class:

T.Quynh - Ng.Nga