Cozy, simple wedding of a disabled couple in the highlands of Nghe An

Wedding without wedding photos

On the morning of the first lunar month of the year of Giap Thin 2024, many people from Ta Soi village, Chau Hanh commune, Quy Chau district came to attend the wedding of Mr. Luong Van Luong and Ms. Le Hong Hanh. Everyone shared the joy with this newlywed couple with special circumstances.

Mr. Luong (born in 1979) has a disability in both legs that makes it impossible for him to stand up straight and makes it very difficult for him to walk. Ms. Hanh (born in 1996) is healthier but has a weak right hand and a small stature, making it difficult for her to work.

The night before the wedding, knowing the couple's circumstances, Quang Van Cuong, who works at the Red Cross Society of Quy Chau district, used his personal car to help Luong go to the bride's house in Tien Phong commune (Que Phong district) to pick up the bride. According to Thai custom, the bride goes to her husband's house at night, bringing along dowry items including blankets, pillows, and mattresses. Hanh's father, Le Van Ngoan, shared: "The family is not well off, so we cannot give our daughter many gifts."

To ease the burden on Mr. Luong's family, many people helped with rice, firewood and served the wedding. The wedding did not have speakers and MCs as usual. The house was cramped, so Mr. Luong only rented a small theater with a stage for everyone to take photos to preserve memories. The couple also decided not to take wedding photos. "As long as we live happily together. Wedding photos can be taken later" - Mr. Luong Van Luong confided. The wedding was more solemn with the presence of representatives of the Fatherland Front and the Association of People with Disabilities of Quy Chau district.

The will of a disabled boy

Although their circumstances were not as fortunate as many others, Luong Van Luong and Le Hong Hanh always lived with determination. The two knew how to overcome adversity and found each other by fate.

Since birth, Luong Van Luong's legs were crooked and weak. At the age of 5, he still had to crawl like a toddler. Later, he could not stand straight like a normal person. His father died when he was young, and his mother was poor, so Luong never went to the hospital. People only guessed that his leg muscles were underdeveloped, which caused his disability.

Despite his weakness, Luong Van Luong has long been the main breadwinner in the family. With a wooden chair, he can sit and hoe the soil, dig a pond, and crawl around the house to cook, do laundry, as quickly and skillfully as an able-bodied person.

“My life began to change dramatically when I got a tricycle,” Luong Van Luong continued. More than 3 years ago, the local government supported him with a 3-wheel motorbike for the disabled, blankets and some livestock. Since then, the vehicle has become his real legs. With a means of transportation, Luong started to go to places where vegetables, tubers and fruits are grown and sold in Quy Chau and Que Phong districts to buy and sell them to people. Although it was still hard, thanks to that, Luong Van Luong had more income to help his family.

The image of a disabled young man who always smiles and talks humorously has become familiar to many market vendors in Quy Chau and Que Phong districts. He even goes to the border commune of Tri Le (Que Phong), 45km from his home, to buy vegetables to sell.

Take a risk and propose

Ms. Le Hong Hanh's situation is also quite special. Mr. Le Van Ngoan, Tang village, Tien Phong commune (Que Phong - Nghe An), Ms. Hanh's father, shared: "Since she was little, her right hand has had weak muscles, so working is also difficult. The family took her to see a doctor and get treatment, but it only slightly improved, not completely cured."

However, Ms. Hanh is still very hard-working and independent in life. Every day, the petite girl still fishes and catches crabs to sell at a flea market next to the national highway. She also buys vegetables and fruits to sell. One day while selling, she met Mr. Luong Van Luong. "The first day we met, we just joked around because he was funny and I was shy to talk. Who would have thought we would get to know each other" - Ms. Le Hong Hanh confided.

Mr. Luong Van Luong shared: “From the day we met until I asked her to marry me was only 4 days. We had just met but I proposed. I thought that if I did something so “daring”, she would refuse, but unexpectedly she agreed. So I brought her home to meet my family and then the two families chose a wedding date. It was very quick and easy!”

Talking about the couple's future plans, Mr. Luong Van Luong said that he will borrow a small amount of capital to build up the family economy. Mr. Luong gave a very clear and somewhat modest goal: "I will buy 20 geese and 2 pigs for my wife to raise at home. I will continue to sell goods."

Mr. Quang Van Cuong, an officer of the Red Cross Society of Quy Chau district, shared: "I personally admire the determination of Mr. Luong and Ms. Hanh. This could be an example for many people who are not fortunate enough to find inspiration to rise up in life."