A tragic scene: a woman's house struck by lightning in the middle of a rice field.

The funeral procession passed through the Lối Cấy field, where bundles of straw lay drying in the paddies, not yet collected by Ms. Hà when she met her tragic end. The group moved under the harsh afternoon sun, amidst cries and choked sobs. Mr. Giáp walked beside his wife's hearse, his head wrapped in a white scarf, his heart aching with grief.

The funeral procession bids farewell to the unfortunate woman as she is laid to rest. Photo: Huy Thu

Present at the funeral procession, Ms. Vo Thi Lien (61 years old), a local resident, recounted: Around 4 PM on May 17th, Ms. Ha and her husband went to collect straw to dry in the Loi Cay field, about 500 meters from their house. While they were gathering the straw in the field, it started raining heavily with thunder and lightning. At that time, Mr. Tran Vo Giap (born in 1974), Ms. Ha's husband, was carrying straw back home. Local people working in the fields all ran into nearby houses to take shelter from the rain, but Ms. Ha chose to ride her bicycle home instead.

As Ms. Ha was walking through the field, there was a deafening clap of thunder, followed by a deafening roar of lightning. After the thunder, everyone looked out at the field and saw her lying on the edge of the rice paddies, in the pouring rain. "Everyone in my village was saddened to hear that Ms. Ha had been struck by lightning. Ms. Ha was such a kind and gentle person, and yet..." said Mrs. Lien.

Relatives wept silently at Ms. Ha's funeral. Photo: Huy Thu.

At Mr. Tran Vo Giap's house, while everyone was attending Ms. Ha's funeral, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tam (Mr. Giap's mother) was sitting and comforting her grandchild, who was not yet two years old and had lost his mother. Mrs. Tam recounted that Mr. Giap was disabled. He had been married before but had no children.

Ms. Ha is the second wife. The couple got married in 2008 but remained childless. Nearly two years ago, they adopted a child, hoping for support in their old age. The child's name is Tran Vo Hong Phuc. Having a child, Mr. Giap and his wife have showered their son with love and affection.

Mr. Giap walked sorrowfully beside the hearse, bidding farewell to his wife. Photo: Huy Thu.

Mr. and Mrs. Giáp cultivate 5 acres of rice paddies and raise one cow, working diligently and frugally year-round. However, due to both of their poor health, especially Mrs. Hà, who has been hospitalized twice for mental instability, their family faces many difficulties. Fortunately, their house is next to their grandparents' house, so the grandparents can help them to some extent.

Mrs. Tam recounted: "Around 5 PM yesterday, when it was raining heavily, I heard people running from the fields shouting, 'Ha, your house has been struck by lightning in the field!' I was completely shaken."

Mrs. Tam, Ha's mother-in-law, continued: "When Giap drove his ox cart out to get straw, he found his wife lying sprawled on the ground, her face dark and bruised... Giap and the neighbors brought Ha's body home amidst the storm, their hearts heavy with grief."

“Ha was a kind and hardworking daughter-in-law, but fate didn’t allow her to live. Phuc is still so young, it’s such a pity for him…” – Mrs. Tam said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ms. Ha's young child hasn't yet grasped the pain of losing her mother. Photo: Huy Thu

A thunderstorm in the middle of the harvest season, accompanied by deafening thunder, claimed the life of the poor wife and mother, leaving behind her husband and their innocent child. At less than two years old, little Phuc could barely speak, only knowing how to ask for milk when hungry, yet unable to comprehend the pain of losing his mother.

Standing at Mr. Giap's house, seeing his child with innocent eyes and a white mourning band wrapped around his head, sitting in his grandmother's arms, my heart ached. Outside, in the village fields during harvest season, the mournful sound of drums bidding farewell to the unfortunate poor mother still echoed.