The reunion moment of a young man from the mountainous region of Nghe An after 10 years of wandering in a foreign land

In his grandmother’s house next to the Nam Mo River in Lo village (Xa Luong commune), Vi Van Lieu (20 years old), a young man who had been lost in China for 10 years, was reunited with his family by the authorities at 10 a.m. on August 4th, but still could not believe that he had returned home safely. From yesterday afternoon to evening, neighbors kept coming to visit and encourage Lieu.

Holding the hand of her grandmother Loc Thi Luong (60 years old), Lieu said: I am so happy to be home and see you. It is so hard over there, I miss you every day, I miss my family, the people in the village. In times of hardship, I just want to run back to you.

The moment of reunion between Vi Van Lieu and his grandmother after 10 years. Photo: Dao Tho

According to Vi Van Lieu, Lieu used to go to school until grade 3 but now he can't even remember the letters. In China, Lieu had to work hard, he was only given enough food during the day and was forced to wake up late at night before dawn. "Every day, I only slept for a few hours and the rest was work. I didn't have money and it was very tiring to work" - the 20-year-old man recalled in shock.

Mrs. Loc Thi Luong could not hold back her tears when she heard that her grandson had found his way back home. She said that Lieu was mentally abnormal since birth.

Lieu's father, Mr. Vi Van Kham, had passed away a long time ago, and her mother, Luong Thi Quy, had also left. Lieu lived with her grandparents. During those years, her grandfather, Vi Van Tien, suffered from a mental illness, so whenever he had a seizure, he scared everyone. Lieu's childhood was thus haunted.

Mr. Vi Van Lieu reunited with his relatives. Photo: Hong Ngoc

“At first, the family did not know that Lieu was taken to China. They only heard later that “people said he was going to work for hire or to work for a living. He also wanted to earn money so he followed them, but in the end, he did not earn any money. Luckily, he was able to run to the police station and find a way home,” said Mrs. Luong.

When asked: Now that you are home, do you want to go to China again? Vi Van Lieu firmly said: "I suffered a lot during the 10 years I was lost there. Now that I am back, no matter how happy or miserable I am, I will stay home with my grandmother."

Tuong Duong district police brought Mr. Lieu back to reunite with his family - Photo: Hong Ngoc

Mrs. Loc Thi Luong's family is a near-poor household in Xa Luong commune. She stays home alone to raise her two young grandchildren, and her son and his wife also work far away to earn a living. "Now that Lieu has returned home, life is a bit more difficult, but at least finding her is a blessing," Mrs. Luong said sadly.

Previously, on August 3, 2022, Mai C District Police Facebook pageLate last month, Hoa Binh province posted a notice to find relatives for a person who was lost abroad in 2012 and currently cannot remember his hometown address or relatives' names.

From the limited information available, Tuong Duong District Police proactively contacted and coordinated with Mai Chau District Police, Hoa Binh Province to provide more information and conduct verification in the locality. Through verification, the police identified the missing person as Vi Van Lieu (born 2002), residing in Xa Luong Commune, Tuong Duong District.

Immediately afterwards, Tuong Duong District Police coordinated with Mai Chau District Police, Hoa Binh Province to bring Mr. Lieu back to his hometown safely and reunite with his family.