The extraordinary willpower of a man who moves with magical hands

Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan (born in 1958) in hamlet 5, Boi Son commune, Do Luong district (Nghe An) suffered paralysis in both legs after a long fever since he was 1 year old. Since then, the man has been unable to stand on his feet and has to rely on a walker to move around.handsand knees. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Entering middle age, Mr. Tan was bought a wheelchair by his younger brother to make it easier for him to move around. Getting in and out of the wheelchair was a big problem, forcing him to stretch with all his might and keep his stiff, contracted legs balanced. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

At home, Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan often moves on his hands and knees, which he jokingly calls "walking on four legs".wheelchairIt is only used when going out, visiting relatives, going to the commune to do paperwork or transporting rice to the mill. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

From a young age, Mr. Tan had the will to rise up and not surrender to fate. He learned weaving, then sewing to earn an income and contribute to his family's life. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

In 1991, Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan married Ms. Luong Thi Tu, a friend of the same age, living in the same neighborhood. Feeling sorry for Mr. Tan's situation, Ms. Tu agreed to marry him, despite opposition from family, relatives and friends. They had 3 daughters, all of whom are now married.college graduateand has a stable job, the eldest daughter is married. Currently, the children are all far away, at home the grandparents still farm, raise chickens and ducks to have a daily income. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

As society developed, industrial products flooded the market, and the weaving and sewing professions had almost no room to maintain and develop, Mr. Tan was forced to find a new way of doing business. He borrowed money to buy a flour mill to serve the needs of the people in the area. At first, he had a good income, but now the demand has decreased significantly. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Although it is difficult to move, Mr. Nguyen Ba Tan still tries his best to work and take care of the chickens, ensuring income for his family. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Mr. Tan confided: “My wife and I are old and weak, and have not yet paid off all the debt from our children's college years. Our three children have just started jobs, and we have no savings, so we cannot help our parents. So as long as we are still strong, we will work to earn extra income to support our lives.” Photo: Dinh Tuyen