Helping 8 other lives be reborn

“My son passed away, leaving behind an unbearable pain. Therefore, given the means, I want to help other mothers avoid such immense suffering. I also hope that, even though my son is no longer here, he will continue to exist in this world by being embodied in the breath, heartbeat, and life of other people,” shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngung, her voice choked with emotion, about her decision to donate her son's organs, giving eight other lives a new lease on life.

Now that you're gone, how will I live?

In the early days of the Lunar New Year of the Horse, while the lingering echoes of the Tet reunion still resonated in every home, the small house of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngung in Viet Hung Urban Area (Viet Hung Ward, Hanoi ) was shrouded in the silence of sorrow and grief as her son, Bui Duc Quang, had suddenly passed away. Sitting listlessly before her son's portrait, Ms. Ngung occasionally uttered the unanswered question: "Quang, you're gone, how will I live?"

Since the 7th grade, Bui Duc Quang has been commended by the Hanoi City Police, local authorities, and his school for his actions of returning lost items to their owners.

With a choked, broken voice, Ms. Ngừng confided: She and her husband only have one child. Therefore, Quang is her entire source of life, her motivation, her faith, and her hope for the future. Despite the many difficulties and hardships in life, just thinking of her son gives her the strength to overcome them. She works tirelessly to nurture her family and provide for her son completely.

“Quang understands and loves his mother very much. From a young age, he was a well-behaved, polite child, loved by neighbors, teachers, and friends. As he grew older, he quickly showed independence, honesty, and always thought of others,” Ms. Ngừng said with tears in her eyes.

Quang's honesty and kindness were demonstrated in 2022, when, as a 7th-grade student, he performed a noble act: finding a lost sum of money and returning it to its owner, earning praise from his school and the Hanoi City Police. In 2026, at the age of 17 – the age of "breaking the horns of a buffalo" – Quang, tall and strong, truly became a solid support for his mother, both physically and mentally. Ms. Ngừng was once very happy and proud of her son, feeling secure knowing she would have a strong pillar of support in the future.

However, cruel fate shattered the mother's simple dream. A sudden accident snatched Quang from her arms in the early days of the new spring. “Standing in the cold hospital corridor, watching my son lie motionless, my heart felt like it was being squeezed. Everything around me collapsed. I desperately prayed for a miracle, but the doctor shook his head: He couldn't wake up again. I truly lost my son…,” Ms. Ngừng sobbed.

Suppress your own pain to revive new lives.

In the final moments of grief and separation, a glimmer of humanity shone in the mind of this strong, courageous, and compassionate mother. She shared: “More than ever, I understand the immense pain of losing a child. My child is gone, but if I can help other mothers avoid the same fate, I must give them a chance. Quang was a kind child, and I believe he would also be willing to save others. Furthermore, I don't want my child's body to turn to dust meaninglessly; I want his heart to continue beating, his eyes to continue seeing the world, even in the bodies of strangers. That gives me the feeling that he still exists in this world.”

Doctors observed a moment of silence to pay tribute to organ donors.

Holding back her tears, Ms. Ngừng decided to sign the organ donation consent form. During the short journey to the operating room, the mother leaned close to her son's ear and whispered tearful but resolute words: "Hang in there, my son, I'm okay, be at peace. I love you, I'm always with you…" It was the most painful farewell, but also a message entrusting the noblest mission.

As soon as the family agreed, on the night of February 22nd (the 6th day of the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse), doctors at Bach Mai Hospital embarked on a "race against death." Dozens of specialists, nurses, and technicians were urgently mobilized during the holiday. The hospital also coordinated closely with the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center, airlines, and the city police to ensure the fastest possible transportation of tissues and organs.

Thanks to his noble deeds, Quang's heart traveled thousands of kilometers to Ho Chi Minh City to give life to a 10-year-old child with dilated cardiomyopathy. His left liver lobe saved the life of a 23-month-old child with congenital biliary atresia; his right liver lobe saved the life of a 45-year-old patient with decompensated cirrhosis. His two kidneys were transplanted to two patients with severe kidney failure; his lungs were transplanted to a 64-year-old male patient with end-stage COPD. And his two corneas brought light to two young people after years of living in darkness.

“We bow our heads in gratitude to the donor and their family – those who transformed suffering into a noble act of humanity. This act not only saved many patients' lives but also spread a message of love – a beautiful act that deserves to be understood and appreciated by society,” emphasized Associate Professor Dr. Vu Van Giap, Deputy Director of Bach Mai Hospital.

Now, in her small house in Viet Hung Urban Area, the longing for her son still surges with every breath of this simple yet great mother. Every night, Ms. Ngung's heart aches with the pain of losing her son. Yet, amidst the vastness of grief and longing, this mother has found a miraculous solace. Her son is not gone; he is merely beginning a new journey of life, transforming into the heartbeat, the gaze, and the lives of other people.

In the heart of Hanoi, a city with a thousand years of cultural heritage, the story of a great mother and her filial son will forever be a moving song of compassion. Somewhere in the sky, Quang is surely smiling, because although his youth ended at the age of 17, his kindness has become immortal, giving life to eight people and warming the hearts of millions.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/giup-8-cuoc-doi-khac-duoc-tai-sinh-735091.html