The young man 'returned to be reborn'

We are born only once in a lifetime, but in some ways, some people are born twice... And in those rebirths, they choose to live life to the fullest with all their heart and will, just like the young man Quách Văn Sơn is doing.

From a 4% chance of survival...

In Son's dilapidated and hot tin-roofed house in Sy hamlet ( Hoa Binh province), we were fortunate to attend the launch ceremony of the autobiography " Returning to Rebirth" (Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2024) by Quach Van Son, a 36-year-old man who became quadriplegic after a traffic accident.

It was particularly special that the book launch took place in the evening and was attended by many children and people with disabilities from the surrounding area. To ordinary people, the autobiography might just be a book recounting someone else's life story, but for those who have experienced hardship and adversity, it will be like a miraculous remedy to lift their spirits. Therefore, Quách Văn Sơn considers the autobiography his priceless spiritual child and has gifted it to people with disabilities he knows.

Mr. Son and Ms. Nung at the book launch ceremony for "Returning to Rebirth" in June 2024. PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

Son is a Muong ethnic minority, born a healthy young man. By the age of 10, he was already going into the forest to gather bamboo shoots and firewood; at 15, he left home to earn a living doing jobs such as carrying bricks, loading and unloading goods, and working in coffee gardens… At 21, Son even went to work abroad in Malaysia hoping to escape poverty. After three years overseas, he returned home with a sum of money to help his family…

One day, Son was involved in a traffic accident. His motorbike, unable to climb the hillside, overturned and crushed him. He suffered a spinal injury and doctors predicted he only had a 4% chance of survival. While lying critically ill in Bach Mai Hospital, Son received the devastating news that his mother had passed away from cancer. Tears streamed down his face as he lay in his hospital bed, unable to return home for his mother's funeral...

Thanks to the dedicated treatment of the doctors, Son escaped death but was permanently paralyzed in all four limbs, confined to a wheelchair and always requiring constant care. Not long after returning home, Son's father, saddened by his family's plight, also passed away, following his wife. Feeling his fate was cruel, Son proactively released his wife to her parents' home to seek a new life, even taking his son with her. Son was left alone in his empty house.

Fortunately, out of compassion for her nephew's unfortunate fate, Ms. Quach Thi Nung (Son's aunt) moved in with him and cared for him like her own son. "I tried to commit suicide many times but failed. She told me that as long as she lived, I would live too. Don't take life for granted; reach for the sky," Son confided.

Mr. Son and the children are reading books at the "Your Resting Place" bookshelf. PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

...live in a way that is not wasted, not in vain.

Being a hardworking person with experience in many professions, Son designed and assembled a lifting machine with the help of friends, allowing him to easily transfer himself from bed to wheelchair without assistance. He also designed a rehabilitation machine for quadriplegia. After dozens of trials using broken bicycles as raw materials, Son's machine was completed. The machine has two handles and foot pedals, allowing Son to exercise daily to prevent muscle contractures. Son has produced nearly a dozen of these machines and sold them to quadriplegia patients at a price equal to the cost of the materials.

Every day, Son produces inspirational videos to post online and connect with the disabled community across the country. Inspired by the free library model of Mr. Do Ha Cu in Thai Binh, Quach Van Son also came up with the idea of ​​establishing a free public library for local children. Son hopes that these inspirational books will help poor children in his hometown develop a greater desire to contribute and increase their knowledge to improve their lives.

After months of tireless campaigning and writing letters to friends and benefactors nationwide, on April 30, 2022, Son inaugurated his "Your Resting Place" bookshelf in his home, stocked with over 1,000 books including science books, fiction, and books on resilience and self-improvement.

Son and Ms. Nung also used their own funds to expand the balcony into a reading area, buying tables, chairs, fans, and water to serve the community and children who come to read for free. Son's bookshelf is enriched every day thanks to books donated by friends from all over. To date, the bookshelf has more than 2,000 titles and recently added Son's own autobiography, " Returning to Rebirth ." "About 20 people come to read books every day, and I hope to expand the reading space and attract even more readers," Son said.

During a visit to Son's bookshelf, Mr. Pham The Cuong, a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Library Association, expressed: "The 'Your Resting Place' bookshelf founded by Son is truly special. Although Son did not receive a complete education, had a difficult childhood, and suffered the trauma of quadriplegia, his love for books has created a very meaningful reading space for the local people. This area is still quite poor, and children do not have much access to books, so I believe these books will contribute significantly to their future intellectual development."

Son's reading space currently has over 2,000 books, including some written by him. (PHOTO: Provided by the author)

"Writing helps me avoid feeling alone."

Son's house, made of corrugated iron walls, is always filled with the laughter of children reading, and the visits of fellow writers and his partner who come to share kindness and goodwill. In the future, Son hopes to create self-development courses, awaken aspirations, and inspire the disabled community. He also runs an online business selling local products, which has received much support.

Ms. Nung's life has been dedicated to caring for others. In her youth, she cared for sick relatives, orphaned children, and later, Son. This is partly why she put aside her personal happiness – she never married. However, Ms. Nung has never complained or boasted; for her, caring for others is a source of happiness.

The stories Sơn shares, though simple and ordinary to many, will be a valuable remedy for those less fortunate or facing hardship and misfortune in life, helping them overcome adversity. Currently, thanks to active physical therapy, Sơn's limbs can move a little better. "I used to be a child who relied on farming for sustenance. After becoming quadriplegic, writing has helped me not to be alone, helped me to return to a new life, and I believe it can also help others when they are in despair," Sơn confided.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chang-trai-tro-ve-de-tai-sinh-185250707112109322.htm