A young man from Nghe An province lost both his arms in an accident, and his videos of him cooking traditional Vietnamese rice dishes have garnered millions of views.

Having lost both parents at a young age, Dang Trong Dinh (born in 2003, from Nghe An province ) lived with his paternal grandparents. After graduating from high school, Dinh decided to work to earn money to help his family while also pursuing his passion for photography.

For two years, the young man traveled extensively, from North to South, working various jobs such as waiter, factory worker, and kitchen assistant.

In early 2024, Dinh unfortunately suffered a work-related electrical accident, forcing him to have both forearms amputated. This incident still leaves him traumatized whenever he remembers it.

"I don't know what words to use to describe how I felt at that moment. From being a healthy person, I suddenly lost both my arms. And when I woke up, I had to face the shock, the irreplaceable loss," Dinh recounted.

chang trai khuyet 2 tay 0.png — The photo of Dinh before and after the ordeal touched netizens.

In the initial period after the incident, Dinh felt hopeless and depressed. But thinking of his grandparents and aunt who were always there for him, he told himself he had to be strong and get back on his feet, taking "being alive is a blessing" as his motto.

For the first 4-5 months, he needed help with everything. After that, Dinh persevered with his training, learning how to eat and drink on his own... He searched for videos online, observing how people in similar situations lived, which gave him more motivation to overcome his difficulties.

Video shows a young man with two missing forearms in Nghe An province showcasing his skills in making mashed sweet potatoes.

Having a passion for photography and cooking experience, in early February 2025, Dinh created a TikTok channel to share his daily life and food videos.

He handled almost everything himself: setting up the cameras, cooking, and editing videos. Occasionally, his aunt and kind neighbors helped with heavy or manual tasks, such as setting up the tripod or carrying pots and pans.

Initially, Dinh chose simple, familiar dishes such as pickled taro stems, mashed potatoes, bean sprouts, and stir-fried beef with water hyacinth flowers.

Each video is only 2-3 minutes long, but it usually takes him several days to complete, from preparing ingredients and cooking to filming and editing. Some weeks, he only manages to post 1-2 videos.

Some rustic, authentic country dishes that Dinh made himself.

Some dishes, like bean sprouts, required him to make them repeatedly, sometimes taking a whole week to get them right.

During the cooking process, Dinh often had to change the camera angle and position the camera to ensure the frame was as beautiful and impressive as possible.

Each video is meticulously crafted, from the cooking methods and dialogue to the camera angles and color grading. As a result, his videos quickly attract millions of views, along with numerous encouraging and complimentary comments.

Screenshot 2025 08 26 181102.png — The young man hopes to spread optimism through each of his cooking videos.

Dinh said that the care and support of everyone is a source of motivation for him to overcome adversity and move towards a positive life.

"The event has left me still unable to stabilize and balance my life, but I hope I can spread positive energy and optimism to those around me, especially those who are in similar situations."

"I want to convey the belief that being alive and working is also a source of happiness. When people look at me, they can see that even without two arms, I still live happily, healthily, and do many things that are beneficial to society," Dinh expressed.

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