We are all human beings…

(Baonghean) - People still call him Dung "the lanky one." He says his life can be summed up in two words: misfortune. He was disabled from birth, and not long after getting married, his wife passed away, leaving him with his mentally disabled son. The two of them rely solely on the kindness of their neighbors, surviving day after day in their dilapidated house.

The dilapidated, single-room house in Thai Hoc hamlet, Nghi Thai commune (Nghi Loc district) has been the home of Vuong Tien Dung and his father for many years. Villagers call him Dung "the limper" because he has been disabled since childhood, dragging his feet and constantly twisting his arms. According to neighbors, when his mother gave birth to him at the Nghi Thai commune health station in 1967, he suffocated due to a breech birth. At that time, the health station nurses' skills were limited; to save the newborn, they could only hold his legs and arms and shake him vigorously. Ultimately, Dung was saved but was left permanently disabled.

Mr. Vuong Tien Dung sits with his aunt in front of his old, dilapidated single-story house. Photo: Thien Thien

Back then, his family was considered well-off in this rural village. His mother stayed home, farming to raise Dũng and his five siblings. His father worked diligently day and night to send money home to his wife and children. During his lifetime, Dũng's father was an official in the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. Because Dũng was disabled, he received more love and care than anyone else from his parents. Things became difficult when his father suddenly passed away, and he became a burden to everyone. From then on, his life was plagued by misfortune and hardship.

While his peers were excitedly heading to school, Dung could only sit indoors, gazing out the window with teary eyes. The dream of going to school with his friends was too far-fetched for Dung, partly because of his disability and partly because his family was so poor. "Because I was teased by my friends, I only dared to hide indoors during my childhood, playing with my mother and siblings," Dung said.

Dung is incapable of working like a normal person. His hands tremble and he's clumsy whenever he touches anything. His mother single-handedly cares for him every day, feeding him, bathing him, and even helping him with his hygiene. Vuong Tien Dung grew up completely dependent on the care of his elderly and often ailing mother.

When all of Dung's siblings had gotten married, his mother poured all her worries into her unfortunate son. Dung grew up to be a gentle, disabled young man, loved and sympathized with by the villagers. The villagers took a liking to Dung and arranged a marriage for him with a girl from Phong Phu village in Hung Hoa commune (Vinh City). The girl's name was Duong Thi Oanh, and she also had a disability in one leg. In 2002, everyone in the village rejoiced at Dung's wedding.

Dũng's life took a new turn since he got married. Despite his health issues, his wife took meticulous care of him. First, his mother, and now his elderly mother, was fortunate to receive such loving and attentive care from his wife. Their happiness multiplied when, a year later, Oánh gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Although the couple, both disabled, lacked the means to work like others, their love for each other and the complete joy of their son's birth brought warmth to Dũng's impoverished family.

Day after day, their son, Vuong Dinh Thanh, grew up. Dung couldn't work, so he stayed home, busy with household chores. More accurately, he cooked rice and braised the fish that his wife had prepared before going to the fields. Meanwhile, Oanh went with her aunt and neighbors to catch crabs, gather snails, and pick vegetables to sell at the market, struggling to make a living to support their small family. Though not physically strong or agile, Oanh was honest and hardworking, so everyone loved and respected her. The snails and crabs they caught each day were sold the same day. Sometimes, when the weather changed, Dung's legs would ache. At those times, Oanh would quickly put their son to sleep and massage her husband's legs with medicated oil. Sometimes, the happiness of these poor couples was simply that – enough to warm their hearts.

Besides being able to sit and watch the cooking pot, all Mr. Dung can do is turn over the worn-out clothes drying on the line in front of his house. Photo: Thien Thien

After living a life of devotion and devotion together for over 10 years, a sudden accident claimed the life of Mr. Dung's wife. His life, already marked by disability, was once again filled with grief. While picking water spinach during a storm, his wife unfortunately slipped and was swept away by the water; her body was only found several days later. That tragic day continues to haunt Mr. Dung to this day.

The disabled man and his ten-year-old son suddenly lost everything. The small house, devoid of a woman's presence, became desolate and cold. After Ms. Oanh's death, Mr. Dung and his son were devastated. They relied on his aunt and sisters for their farmland, but still didn't have enough rice to eat. Mr. Dung couldn't earn money because no one would hire him. His son, now in eighth grade, was still too naive to help his father.

Sometimes, Dung thinks, "I wish I had never been born." Having to live like this is the greatest sorrow of his life. But then he thinks about his young son; what would happen to him if one day he were no longer awake?

Tian Tian