The boy 'returned to be reborn'

We are born once in life, 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, like the young man Quach Van Son is doing.

From 4% chance of survival...

In Son's dilapidated and hot corrugated iron-roofed house in Sy hamlet ( Hoa Binh province), we were fortunate to attend the launching ceremony of the autobiography Returning to Rebirth (Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2024) by Quach Van Son, a 36-year-old man who was paralyzed in all four limbs after a traffic accident.

It was special that the book launch took place in the evening and was attended by many children and disabled people in the area. For normal people, the autobiography may just be a book telling the story of another person's life, but for those who have fallen into adversity and hardship, it will be like a miracle drug to revive them. Therefore, Quach Van Son considers the autobiography as a priceless spiritual child and dedicates it to the disabled people he knows.

Mr. Son and Ms. Nung at the book launch ceremony Returning to Rebirth in June 2024. PHOTO: NVCC

Son is a Muong ethnic, born a healthy boy. At the age of 10, Son knew how to go into the forest to pick bamboo shoots and collect firewood; at the age of 15, he lived far from home to earn a living by doing jobs such as carrying bricks, loading, working in coffee gardens... At the age of 21, Son also went to work abroad in Malaysia with the hope of escaping poverty. After 3 years abroad, he returned home and brought back some money to help his family...

Then one day Son had a traffic accident, the motorbike could not climb the hill and fell on top of Son. He suffered a spinal injury and the doctor predicted that he only had a 4% chance of survival. While lying in Bach Mai Hospital, Son received the bad news that his mother had passed away from cancer, Son's tears just kept flowing on the hospital bed because he could not go home to mourn his mother...

Thanks to the dedicated treatment of the doctors, Son escaped the death penalty but was permanently paralyzed in all four limbs, had to use a wheelchair and always had to be cared for by his side. Not long after returning home, Son's father, saddened by his family situation, also passed away with his wife. Thinking his fate was miserable, Son took the initiative to free his wife to go back to her mother's house to find a new life, even his son followed his mother, leaving Son alone in the middle of an empty house.

Fortunately, out of pity for her nephew with such a miserable fate, Ms. Quach Thi Nung (Son's cousin) moved in with him and took care of him like a child. "I tried to commit suicide many times but failed. She told me, as long as she lives, you live, don't take life for granted like that, reach for the sky," Son confided.

Mr. Son and the children read books at the bookshelf "Your Stop". PHOTO: NVCC

...to live without waste

Being a hard worker and having worked in many jobs, Son drew his own design and asked his friends to install a winch that could lift his body from bed to wheelchair easily without any help. At the same time, Son also drew his own design for a rehabilitation machine for quadriplegics. After dozens of experiments with broken bicycles as input materials, Son's machine was born. The machine has two handles and foot pedals to help Son practice every day to prevent muscle spasms. Son has also produced nearly a dozen exercise machines and sold them to quadriplegics at a price equal to the cost of buying the materials.

Every day, Son produces inspirational videos to post online and connect with the disabled community across the country. From the free bookshelf model of Mr. Do Ha Cu in Thai Binh , Quach Van Son also came up with the idea of establishing a free public bookshelf for local children. Son hopes that inspirational books will help poor children in his hometown have more aspirations to contribute as well as increase their knowledge to help make life better.

After nearly many months of hard work, writing letters to friends and philanthropists across the country, on the anniversary of April 30, 2022, Son opened the bookshelf "Your Stop" right at his house with more than 1,000 books including science books, stories, books on life force...

Son and Ms. Nung also spent their own money to expand the balcony to serve as a reading area, buy tables, chairs, fans and water to serve people and children who come to read books for free. Son's bookshelf is getting thicker every day thanks to friends from all over sending books. Up to now, the bookshelf has more than 2,000 books and recently added Son's autobiography - Returning to Rebirth . "Every day, about 20 people come to read books, I hope to expand the reading space and attract more readers," said Mr. Son.

Mr. Pham The Cuong, Executive Committee Member of the Vietnam Library Association, during his visit to Son's bookshelf, expressed: "The bookshelf 'Your Stop' founded by Son is very special. Although Son did not have a full education, had a difficult childhood and experienced quadriplegia, with his love for books, Son has opened a very meaningful reading space for local people. This place is still quite poor, children do not have much access to books, so I believe that these books will contribute significantly to their future knowledge."

Son's reading space currently has more than 2,000 books, including books written by Son. PHOTO: NVCC

"Writing helps me not be alone"

Son's house made of corrugated iron walls is always filled with the laughter of children reading books, of literary friends, and of life partners coming to sow good karma. In the future, Son hopes to create self-development courses, awaken aspirations and transmit the will to live to the disabled community. Son also runs his own online business selling local products and is supported by many people.

Ms. Nung's life is associated with taking care of others. When she was young, she took care of sick relatives, took care of orphaned grandchildren, and later took care of Son. That is also part of the reason why she put aside her personal happiness - not getting married. However, Ms. Nung has never complained or boasted about her achievements. For her, taking care of others is her happiness.

The stories that Son shares, though simple and ordinary to many people, will be a valuable medicine for those who are less fortunate or have fallen into misfortunes and disasters in life to overcome adversity. Currently, thanks to active physical therapy, Son's limbs can move a little better. "I used to be a child who relied on the fields and farms. After becoming paralyzed in all four limbs, writing has helped me not to be alone, helped me return to be reborn and I believe it will also help others when they are desperate," Son confided.

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