Sympathy for the plight of three brothers whose parents were swept away by floodwaters

On the afternoon of September 30, we visited the house of Nguyen Van Ai (born in 1984) and Nguyen Thi Lan (born in 1985), who were swept away by floodwaters on the afternoon of September 29. In the small house located on a slope on the hillside, relatives and neighbors were busy preparing the funeral for the unfortunate couple.

Three children Nguyen Quoc Anh, Nguyen Ty Hy and Nguyen Thi Thuy Tien beside their parents' coffins. Photo: Minh Quan

Next to the two coffins placed side by side, Quoc Anh - the eldest son of Mr. Ai and Ms. Lan sobbed, while Ty Hy and My Tien seemed too young to feel the pain and the great and sudden loss that had come to the three siblings.

Mr. Nguyen Van Y - Ai's uncle said that in 2010, Ai met Lan, a native of Nghi Phuong commune (Nghi Loc), and then they became husband and wife, moving to Ai's hometown in hamlet 12, Nghi Lam commune. Both grew up in families with difficult circumstances, so the young couple's life was quite difficult. In addition to farming, Ai worked as a bricklayer and painter, while Lan was busy running errands to earn extra money to raise 3 young children.

In 2017, with the money they saved and borrowed, the couple built a new house to replace the old one that had deteriorated, but due to lack of funds, it was not completed until the end of 2020. The whole family had been living in the new house for less than 2 years, the loan had not been paid off yet when disaster suddenly struck.

Nguyen Ty Hy and Nguyen Thi Thuy Tien with their relatives at their parents' funeral. Photo: Minh Quan.

A week earlier, while working as a construction worker, Mr. Ai slipped from a scaffolding and broke his leg. On the afternoon of September 29, Mr. Ai was taken by his wife to the Nghi Lam Commune Health Station to have his injuries re-examined. On the way back, he had a tragic accident.

Sitting blankly next to the coffin of his ill-fated son and his wife, Mr. Nguyen Van Thoan - Ai's father said: "Before the accident, my wife and I asked me to stay home to take care of the 3 children so that we could go to the commune health station for a check-up. We waited until evening but they did not return. When we received the bad news, my wife cried and fainted until now. I have been disabled for a long time, my wife's health is also weak, I don't know if she will live long enough to be the support for her 3 grandchildren!"

Many neighbors expressed their condolences to the family. Photo: Minh Quan

It is known that Nguyen Quoc Anh is a 6C student at Nghi Lam Secondary School, and Nguyen Ty Hy and Nguyen Thi My Tien are 2nd and 1st grade students at Nghi Lam Primary School.

Mr. Tran Trong Hung - Principal of Nghi Lam Primary School said that all 3 children are very well-behaved. "Immediately after the incident, to ease the pain of losing their parents, the Board of Directors and the Trade Union of Nghi Lam Primary School and Nghi Lam Secondary School quickly organized a fundraiser among all staff, teachers and employees of the schools to support the funeral for the family, and at the same time set up a scholarship fund to support the 3 children in the coming time. However, in the long term, we really need the cooperation and contribution of kind-hearted organizations and individuals, and kind-hearted people so that the children can continue to go to school and have a better future."