Overcoming fate

(Baonghean) - Right from birth, Pham Van Hoang (Quynh Ba commune - Quynh Luu district) was disabled, had difficulty walking and speaking, so his dream of going to school seemed out of reach. However, with extraordinary determination, he did something miraculous: entering the university lecture hall on his own disabled legs...

Hoang was born into a farming family, all family expenses depended on 3 small fields. Fate was ironic, right from birth Hoang suffered from cerebral palsy. The family was in difficult circumstances but could not bear to see their first child lying in one place, his parents worried, ran everywhere to take him to get treatment. "Seeing children the same age as my child running, playing, going to school every day, my heart ached for him. Seeing my child trying to stand up and then falling down because his right hand and left leg were paralyzed, my husband and I were determined to take him for treatment so that he could have the opportunity to "walk" like everyone else," recalling those days, Mrs. Pham Thi Dao, Hoang's mother, choked up.

For 5 years, they searched for good doctors and visited many hospitals in Hanoi, hoping that their son would get better. Finally, their efforts were rewarded. At the age of 5, Hoang took his first steps.

I am Pham Van Hoang.

In Hoang's memory, his childhood was spent in hospitals, getting injections and taking medicine. And when he could walk on his own, his family was bankrupt. Hoang confided: "The family of 5 lived in a shabby thatched house, my parents had to run around to borrow money to take care of me. I loved my parents and my siblings, so when I could walk on my own, I was even more determined to repay them in the future. However, due to my limited health, I only knew that I would try to study hard, and later have a job to help my parents and siblings." He longed to go to school even though his legs were unsteady, his right hand was paralyzed and he had difficulty speaking. Every day, his mother carried him on her back to class, from kindergarten to grade 2. His right hand could not hold a pen, so Hoang practiced writing with his left hand. To be able to write in his notebook was a great effort for Hoang.

He said that at first, the brick was his “pen” and the yard was his “paper” to practice his first strokes. After that, to have clear writing exercises, Hoang struggled with the paper every night, sometimes his hands were tired. Pronunciation was difficult, so at home he practiced reading at any time. To keep up with his friends, he always listened attentively to his teachers’ lectures in class. Because he was slow at taking notes, Hoang often borrowed his friends’ notebooks to copy them, and that was also how Hoang memorized the lectures. He spent most of his time at home studying, because he was disadvantaged, so he always had to try twice as hard as normal people.

The disabled boy's diligence and eagerness to learn have always been admired by his friends and encouraged and motivated by his teachers. As if given more strength, Hoang strived even harder and his tireless efforts were rewarded with impressive academic achievements. For 12 consecutive years, he was an excellent student. In 2012, Hoang passed the entrance exam to the Academy of Posts and Telecommunications - Faculty of Information Technology - college level. His dream of becoming a student of his favorite major had come true, but the disabled boy still did not stop striving to achieve the goals set for each semester.

Therefore, it is understandable that when meeting Hoang in the countryside during his days off from school, he never takes his eyes off his textbooks. He talks enthusiastically about his subjects, happily shares about his future plans... and wishes to work to support himself, help his parents pay off the bank loan to pay for his studies and support his family. Hoang becomes a shining example of will to live.

Dinh Thi Nguyet