As a victim of Agent Orange, Mr. Le Ba Thanh (born in 1978) lost his mobility, but his wife's love has given him a complete and loving home, serving as a spiritual anchor to help him overcome adversity.
A smile after tears
The entire audience seemed to fall silent as they watched Ms. Le Thi Trang Nhung (born in 1982) carefully push her husband's wheelchair into the auditorium for the seminar commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam, held in Vinh City.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Mr. Le Ba Thanh (born in 1978) greeted everyone with a radiant smile. That smile truly shone with happiness, suppressing the hardships he faced as he suffered from the effects of Agent Orange.
Mr. and Mrs. Le Ba Thanh at the seminar commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam, held in Vinh City. Photo: Thanh Quynh
During the breaks in the seminar, I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Thanh and Ms. Nhung, and I was truly impressed by their life stories and their unique love story.
When he was born, Le Ba Thanh was a normal boy like any other. However, at the age of four, Thanh's legs gradually atrophied, and he lost the ability to move. His father was away serving in the army, and his mother, working alone, took him to various hospitals, both large and small, for treatment, but all her efforts were in vain. Later, his mother learned that his terrible illness was a consequence of Agent Orange exposure, inherited from his father who had fought in the Quang Tri battlefield. From that moment on, his family had to accept the fact that their son would be disabled for life.
Mr. and Mrs. Le Ba Thanh have received much heartfelt affection from relatives and friends, and are an inspiration to other victims of Agent Orange. Photo: Thanh Quynh
Tragedy struck repeatedly when Le Ba Thanh's mother passed away suddenly while pregnant with their second child. After his mother's death, Thanh was raised by his grandmother. At that time, young Thanh never attended school because his elderly grandmother was frail and the daily pain prevented him from going to class. Out of love for her grandson, she could only teach him to read and write simple words. Gradually, Thanh taught himself to read and write, and updated his knowledge through books and newspapers given to him by friends and relatives.
Although fate took away Thanh's legs, it compensated him with a special talent for repairing electronic devices. By the age of 12 or 13, Thanh was already able to repair watches and simple farming tools around the house. Driven by this passion, at the age of 16, Le Ba Thanh decided to learn the trade at an electrical and mechanical workshop in Vinh City.
Mr. Le Ba Thanh (born in 1978) and his wife, Ms. Le Thi Trang Nhung (born in 1982), at their family's production workshop. Photo: Thanh Quynh
Initially, when the workshop owner saw Thanh, he was hesitant because no one wanted to hire a disabled person. Only after seeing his diligence, hard work, and a bit of talent demonstrated through his repairs of equipment in the workshop did the owner agree to hire him permanently. After years of hard work and learning, Thanh accumulated capital and experience to open his own small mechanical shop at the foot of the Kenh Bac bridge.
By managing his time effectively, he developed a passion for agricultural machinery, leading him to improve and manufacture various machines such as sugarcane presses, animal feed processing machines, and electronic welding machines. These products were widely accepted by markets both within and outside the province. As a result, by 2007, he had accumulated enough capital to open a large mechanical workshop spanning over 300 square meters.2In Hung Loc commune. Looking at his property, no one would think that it belongs to a disabled person.
Despite never having attended school, Mr. Thanh is able to independently research and improve many important agricultural tools and equipment. Photo: Thanh Quynh
He divided his property into two parts: one for production and one for living. The small house was built with the hope of a future home. He always believed in the good things in life, believing that he would have a wife and healthy children. And then, that belief became a reality, bringing radiant happiness after the suffering he had endured…
Love transcends all barriers.
Following an introduction from Mr. Ta Quang Du, Chairman of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vinh City, we visited Mr. Le Ba Thanh's home in early August.
Welcoming us, Ms. Le Thi Trang Nhung - Mr. Thanh's wife - shared that the culmination of their love is their adorable twin babies. Their love story began with a chance encounter and, after overcoming many challenges, has finally borne fruit as it does today.
Nhung was once an energetic student at Hong Lam College of Economics and Technology (Vinh City). A native of Nghia Dan, unlike her peers, Nhung developed an early passion for electronics and engineering. Therefore, after graduating from high school, she decided to move to Vinh City to pursue vocational training.
The happy smiles of Mr. and Mrs. Le Ba Thanh amidst the hustle and bustle of life. Photo: Thanh Quynh.
Coincidentally, Mr. Thanh's workshop was close to the school she was attending. Therefore, in addition to her time at university, she applied for a part-time job at his workshop to improve her skills and earn extra income to cover her studies.
Through her time working at the workshop, she gradually came to understand Mr. Thanh's personality, realizing that he was a very affectionate and considerate person. Along with that, his determination to overcome difficulties and his intelligence and creativity in his work truly captivated her.
After graduating, she continued working at Mr. Thanh's workshop. Reflecting on those days, she confided: "I lost my father early, and Mr. Thanh was motherless, so we had a lot in common. That empathy and understanding drew us closer, and love came naturally."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, Mr. Thanh's wife. Photo: Thanh Quynh
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After meeting him, my mother was very supportive of our relationship because she could sense his efforts. The encouragement from both families helped our love grow, providing a foundation for us to overcome difficulties and hardships together. This home, though simple, is incredibly fulfilling for us.”
Ms. Le Thi Trang Nhung
Having stabilized their family life, Mr. and Mrs. Thanh have always shown empathy for those in similar circumstances. Over the years, they have been willing to provide free training to many disabled people and orphans, helping them find jobs and stable incomes. Among them, many still remember Vi Van Dung (born in 1996).
Mr. Le Ba Thanh has been a supportive partner, providing assistance to many disadvantaged and disabled workers at his workshop. Photo: Thanh Quynh
Dung is a native of Quy Hop. From a young age, he was paralyzed in both legs, and his family faced extreme hardship, causing his condition to worsen. In 2016, at the age of 20, Dung learned about Mr. Thanh's production facility and decided to seek an apprenticeship. Understanding his determination, Mr. and Mrs. Thanh accepted him for training with a salary of 7 million VND per month.
After 7 years of working with Mr. Thanh's business, and using the capital and experience he accumulated, in 2023 he opened his own small workshop in Chau Ly commune, Quy Hop district. Looking back on the journey, Mr. Dung still feels deep gratitude towards Mr. and Mrs. Thanh for bringing about valuable changes in his life.
What impressed Vi Van Dung and the six other regular workers at the factory about Mr. Thanh was his optimism and cheerfulness amidst the hustle and bustle of life.
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It was rare to see Mr. Thanh sad. He often encouraged us, saying: "Everyone has their own destiny. I myself have suffered greatly from losing my legs and my beloved mother. But only by overcoming it can I stand up and continue to live a meaningful life. That is the belief that we – those who are less fortunate – carry within us, allowing us to find joy after loss..."
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