Paralyzed, hunchbacked man becomes 'inventor'

Clip of Mr. Vo Van Trang using the elevator he invented himself:

Overcoming fate

Born healthy and normal, with a handsome face and quick gestures, Vo Van Trang was once the hope of the whole family.

Then, at the age of 7, when he had a sore ankle, he was treated by a local herbalist with acupuncture. After a long period of improper treatment, his legs gradually shriveled up and he lost the ability to move. Although his family took him to many large and small hospitals in and outside the province for treatment, all efforts were in vain, so his parents had to swallow their tears and bring their son home.

The door to the future seemed hopelessly closed, but fate gave the boy Vo Van Trang the ability to study better than his peers. For many years in school, he was the representative of the school's excellent students, winning high prizes in Math and Literature exams.

Mr. Vo Van Trang is completing the three-wheeled vehicle he designed himself. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Every day, on the road of more than 1km, people still see the disabled boy using his two hands to drag his body little by little to get to school. Even though his hands are swollen and bleeding, he still perseveres to go to class, rain or shine.

After school, the disabled boy worked at a car repair shop near the school so he could have a free lunch. However, at the age of 16, he had to sadly close his dream of going to school. Because his family was too poor and had many siblings. Especially, because the high school was very far from where his family lived, he could not travel that distance by himself.

To make a living, he opened a bicycle repair shop. He had a talent for diagnosing bicycle "diseases", and his hands were quick and resourceful, so many customers came to him. Among them, there was a girl named Hoang Thi Chanh from Cua Lo town. Her family was poor, her only personal property was a bicycle to go to the market to sell. The bicycle's chain broke one day, the tire was flat the next, so Ms. Chanh had to visit Mr. Trang's shop almost every market day. Then she changed from admiration to sympathy for his fate, so she agreed to become his wife.

Their love faced fierce opposition from the girl's family. Not only did he have to overcome many rumors, the disabled mechanic also had to overcome his own complexes and inferiority complex to get married to his wife in 1980. That year, the young man Vo Van Trang was 21 years old.

Despite his disabled legs, Mr. Vo Van Trang still tries his best with his wife to travel dozens of kilometers to deliver each piece of machinery that customers order him to design and repair. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Not long after getting married, Mr. Trang became seriously ill, his whole body was swollen, his limbs were contracted. His wife had to borrow money from all over to be able to treat her husband, but wherever she went, the doctors shook their heads. Seeing his wife struggling and worrying about him, he struggled to cope with each pain. Then a miracle happened, he overcame the crisis. Even though his health had declined a lot, his limbs were contracted, his back was increasingly hunchbacked, he always told himself to be optimistic, cheerful, and work hard to support his wife.

The garage was open again, and people could hear the cheerful laughter of “Trang the hunchback” as he welcomed his guests. By the time he was in his fifties, the garage had become a spacious and comfortable place, and he had not stopped working for a single day to truly be the economic pillar of his family.

Become an "inventor"

In addition to repairing cars, Mr. Trang also spends his free time searching for books on the design and repair of household machinery to read and ponder. Despite his poor health, he has a special passion for machinery, especially equipment for the disabled.

Mr. “Trang the hunchback” gradually became famous throughout the region for his ability to repair electronic devices and household appliances. From radios, televisions to motors, flour mills, and harvesters, he quickly and neatly fixed any problem, to the surprise and admiration of everyone.

Optimism and love of work are valuable medicines that help Mr. Vo Van Trang overcome difficulties to live a meaningful life. Photo: Thanh Quynh

In 2007, while traveling, he observed that some disabled people could travel long distances by themselves thanks to a tricycle. However, the price of the vehicle was quite high, more than 7 million VND. He had the idea of ​​inventing such a vehicle for himself.

Thinking is doing, he began to research and learn about the structure and function of the car through books and newspapers. In theory, it was like that, but when he started to make it, he encountered many difficulties. He had to run everywhere to find materials to make it, collecting and buying each part himself, from the screw to the wheel, shock absorber... After making a few parts, he had to run to see the samples displayed at the stores.

After more than 5 years of experimentation, the 3-wheeled vehicle was completed. At first, he simply thought that improving his motorbike was just to serve himself for convenient transportation. But then seeing him riding, many disabled people came to order. Up to now, he has made hundreds of 3-wheeled vehicles for war invalids and disabled people. It is not only the joy of having extra income to help him take care of his 3 children's education, but also to help people in the same situation have a means of transportation and integrate into the community. He only takes money for raw materials and a moderate amount of labor.

After many years of hard work, he built a spacious two-story house for his wife and children. He should have been happy to have a new house, but people saw him staring at the stairs and sighing silently. It turned out that because of his disabled legs, his wife had to carry him up and down the second floor every day - where the family's electronic materials were stored.

Just press the control button, the "elevator" designed by Mr. Trang will take him up and down the floors safely. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Once when he went to Hai Phong to visit an old friend, he accidentally saw a rice transport machine of the people. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind to learn the method of lifting and lowering rice of the machine to design for himself an elevator connecting from the first floor to the second floor of his family.

Immediately, he bought iron, steel, motors, etc. and then implemented his idea. Wherever human power was needed, he instructed his children to help. After more than 4 months of experimentation, the elevator was successful beyond expectations. Neighbors came to see it and couldn't help but admire it. Many owners of stores selling equipment for the disabled also came to him to place orders, making him extremely happy.

Mr. Le Van Minh, the village chief and also a classmate of Mr. Trang, said: “Not only is he an example of overcoming his fate, from a disabled person to a famous "inventor" in the region, Mr. Vo Van Trang also actively supports the construction of rural roads, contributes to the construction of the "Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction" and "Repaying Gratitude" funds... millions of dong each year."