25-year-old man takes care of three poor children for 4 years

Meeting each other in a 2014 television dance competition, Dao Phi Hai, from Ho Chi Minh City, got to know three brothers Le Hieu, Le Huy, and Le Hao as contestants. The four brothers quickly became close and often talked after the competition ended. Whenever Hai went to Bien Hoa to play, or the children had a chance to go to the city, the brothers gathered, went out together, and shared their passion for dancing.

In 2015, the mother of the three children suddenly passed away. At that time, the oldest child, Hieu, was 14 years old, the second child was 11, and the youngest child was only 6. The family was poor, and their father could not afford to support them, so their education and food were greatly affected. Struggling with the pain of losing a loved one, Hieu called Hai to confide in him. He and his two younger siblings expressed their desire to go to Saigon to learn dancing, because there were no opportunities for development in their hometown.

"Hearing this, I immediately told Hieu that the three of us would come here to live with him, eat whatever was available, and share happiness and sadness. At that time, I didn't think much about it, I just felt that my heart wanted it that way," Hai confided.

Since then, the cramped apartment is less than 20m2.²Hai's family in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, has 7 people living there.The day Hai decided to bring the three children home, his parents enthusiastically supported him despite their limited finances. His 11-year-old sister Vy also respected her brother's decision, diligently cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of her naughty youngest sibling.

At that time, Hai did not foresee all the difficulties he would face, especially when his family's expenses doubled. Before that, the money Hai earned from teaching dance and performing in shows was only enough to support himself. His mother sold sugarcane juice at the corner of the alley, his father's salary was not much, and his younger sister was still in school. The financial burden fell on the shoulders of a young man in his early twenties.

Hai tried to teach dance in many places, went around the city selling phone cases, accessories... to get money to give to his mother to spend and take care of the 3 children's schooling."The first days I brought my three children home, my life was completely turned upside down. The 4m2 room²"It was the place where the four of us came and went. I hardly had any space for myself. Then there were days when we were so hungry, the four of us would share a cup of noodles or run back to our mother's shop to ask for a cup of sugarcane juice to ease our hunger," Hai recalled.

The 25-year-old man shared that at that time, many friends and colleagues, knowing his situation, introduced more shows, and his brothers in the same dance club contributed some money at the end of the month so that Hai could take care of the three children. All financial difficulties gradually improved. Hai felt secure taking Le Hao to school every day, watching Le Huy and Le Hieu gradually mature, focus on studying and pass the entrance exam to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Physical Education and Sports.

"Before, I didn't understand my parents' worries or care for me. But since taking responsibility for raising my three younger siblings, I have clearly felt my parents' love, and I love my family more," Hai shared.

The dancer confided that because his three children were growing up, they inevitably had times when they argued and quarreled, which gave him a headache. But above all, they still loved each other and listened to Hai. Of the three, Hao was the most affectionate, always calling Hai "dad".Every time Hai came home tired from work, one would get a towel, the other would make orange juice for him to drink. The youngest, Hao, would roll into his arms and whisper, "Dad, I love you so much. I love you, Hai, the most."

More than a year ago, John Huy Tran, a famous choreographer, learned about Hai's story and decided to adopt and care for the eldest brother Le Huy, while the two younger brothers Hieu and Hao still lived at Hai's house. Although they no longer lived together, the three brothers met every evening at the dance studio, and on weekends they returned to Bien Hoa to visit their father, grandparents, and relatives.

"My family still cares and worries about the three of us a lot. Every time we come, we try to send them a lot of local things. I still remember the tight handshake of my grandparents and my father, the heartfelt request, asking me to take care of them. I don't allow myself to give up. I promised to do it to the end," Hai said.

Thanks to Hai, the three brothers have grown up and become more thoughtful. Two years ago, Huy won first prize in a dance competition, living up to his senior's trust."I always want to thank Hai for the past time. I don't know what we would do without him. I consider him as my brother, my father," Huy shared.

Hai said that his life and that of his three children are now stable. He has enough money to take care of his family and no longer has to work hard like before. Thanks to his efforts and saving every penny, the 25-year-old man has opened his own dance studio. His three brothers Hieu, Huy, and Hao enthusiastically help him teach the young students. Hai's current dream is "to hope that by the age of 18, each of us will have a profession and be able to live on that profession."

Ms. Thu, Hai's mother, said she was very proud of her son's actions. "I always taught my son that whether rich or poor, humanity is the most important thing. Hai did exactly what we taught him and more," she said.

The story aboutThe Saigon dancer who struggled to take care of three orphaned brothers received sympathy and sympathy from many people, especially dancers in the profession. "H and I"We joined the club together from the very beginning. At that time, Hai was still shy and childish. When I learned that Hai adopted 3 children, I was quite worried because I didn't know if he was capable enough. But witnessing what he went through, I admired him. He matured every day, becoming more responsible in work and life," Doan Quoc Hung, manager of Hai's dance group, shared.

Hung added that everyone tried to help Hai and his father a lot, but mainly mentally, introducing shows and teaching places, while Hai still took care of financial matters himself. There were times when Hai was so busy that he couldn'tmet everyone in the dance group because he worked many extra jobs to earn money. Many people in the profession call Hai "the compassionate dancer" or "the guy with a kind heart"...