The story of tennis player Le Dinh Duc is a testament to the extraordinary power of sports , love and belief in good things.
From paralyzed legs
Sitting across from us was a young man with bright eyes and a handsome face. No one could imagine that the young tennis player had spent his childhood paralyzed, and had to face the darkness of a future that seemed closed. At the age of 13, Duc suddenly fell ill. Severe back pain forced him to stop training.
Initially, the doctor diagnosed Duc with polyarthritis. But just two months later, Duc's legs could no longer move. From an active child who played, practiced, and competed in table tennis every day, Duc suddenly fell into a state of total paralysis, requiring his father, mother, teacher, and teammates to help him move.
Duc's teacher (Coach Vu Manh Cuong) at that time did not give up hope. He took his young student to all the treatment facilities in Hanoi , from Eastern medicine to Western medicine, from folk remedies to modern treatment methods. But all were in vain.
Finally, at Bach Mai Hospital, doctors diagnosed Duc with juvenile idiopathic ankylosing spondylitis - a rare and difficult-to-treat disease. The six months he spent bedridden in the hospital were a series of days Duc spent on the backs of his parents. They took turns carrying him around the hospital corridors, patiently waiting for the slightest sign of recovery.
But sports are inherently the place where miracles are born. And Le Dinh Duc, with all his youthful aspirations, persevered to overcome them. When he left the hospital and returned home, despite his weak health and his legs being nothing but skin and bones, Duc still did not give up his passion for table tennis.
Every night, the little boy held his pain in tears, while his mother lay beside him, silently crying for her son. Every morning when he woke up, he faced the challenge of learning to stand, to walk, to get used to his seemingly forgotten legs.
Coach Cuong and his teammates continued to accompany and support his student in every first step. The Hanoi T&T table tennis club (where Duc used to play) is located on the 5th floor, but that did not stop the teacher and student from returning.
Every day, the teacher and his friends took turns carrying Duc up and down, practicing diligently. And then, 9 months after returning, the boy who had been paralyzed won the gold medal in the men's singles for the 14-15 age group at the national youth tournament, an unimaginable milestone.
To the miracle written with tears, will and kindness
From then on, Le Dinh Duc's career turned a new page. Not only did he recover his physical strength, Duc also rose to become one of the best players in Vietnamese table tennis.
With an impressive collection of achievements: 2 bronze medals in team events at SEA Games 31 and 32; 6 gold medals in men's doubles, 2 gold medals in mixed doubles - women's national championship; bronze medal in men's singles at the 2020 national championship... the name Le Dinh Duc has become familiar to experts and table tennis fans nationwide.
But behind every medal, behind every winning smile is a long story of gratitude. Duc has never forgotten the people who touched his life like candles lighting up his faith, his father, a diligent Math teacher, always by his son's side in every match, every treatment.
Every time Duc finished playing, his father would sit down and massage his son’s feet with his simple hands but filled with great love. Duc emotionally said: “My father was always worried about me, telling me not to play anymore because he was afraid I would relapse. My mother always silently encouraged me. The teachers and friends on the team were like my second family.”
Duc also expressed special gratitude to a person, Mr. Do Quang Hien, who, upon hearing the news of Duc's illness, stepped forward to support all of his medical expenses. "If it weren't for Mr. Hien, I probably wouldn't be here today. He not only saved an athlete, but also gave me hope and the opportunity to live my passion," Duc choked up as he shared.
Le Dinh Duc’s story goes beyond the framework of a sports journey. It is an epic of life’s will, of the desire to rise up, of the spirit of not surrendering to fate. It is also a living testament to the power of humanity, when there are hands ready to reach out, supporting a young talent to overcome adversity.
In the context of Vietnamese sports becoming increasingly professional and deeply integrated with the region and the world, examples like Le Dinh Duc have become symbols for a generation of athletes who not only know how to conquer the pinnacle of achievement, but also know how to spread the humanistic values of sports to the community.
Le Dinh Duc has gone from a boy who was immobile in the hospital for 6 months to a proud tennis player who has dominated the national and regional arenas. But above all, Duc's journey is a touching reminder that sports are not just about winning or losing, but also about the power to heal, where compassion, will and determination crystallize.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/cau-chuyen-truyen-cam-hung-cua-tay-vot-le-dinh-duc-141332.html
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