Nam Thai - The bravery of a war invalid

Mr. Nam Thai is preparing to repair a car for a customer.

Mr. Nam Thai was born into a family with a revolutionary tradition. His father was martyr Mai Van Lam, who was the Secretary of Binh An commune and died in 1971. His grandmother was a Heroic Vietnamese Mother. In 1981, he joined the An Ninh hamlet guerrilla force. At the end of 1984, he volunteered to go to Cambodia to perform international duty.

In the deep forest bordering Koh Kong (Kingdom of Cambodia), Mr. Nam Thai was the Squad Leader of Squad 2, Regiment 20, Division 4, Military Region 9, and fought in many fierce battles in the battlefield of Koh Kong province (Kingdom of Cambodia). During a patrol in 1985, he and two of his teammates were hit by a mine. After that, one went missing, the other was slightly injured, and he lost two legs and three fingers on his left hand.

From the battlefield, Mr. Nam Thai was transferred to Can Tho, Vinh Long, and then to Rach Gia sanatorium for treatment. In Rach Gia, he met Tran Thi Thanh, a simple Hanoi girl who worked to serve wounded soldiers. Seeing the gentle and brave soldier, Ms. Thanh fell in love with him. “She didn’t ask for anything, just gently nodded when I proposed. On the wedding day, I only gave my wife a pair of earrings, but we were very happy,” Mr. Thai said. That special wedding was organized by Chau Thanh District Party Committee and the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in the sanatorium. The press at that time called it “a marriage of compassion and ideals”. The love between the wounded soldier and the girl who served wounded soldiers was like a warm fire in the difficult post-war days.

After that, Mr. Nam Thai and his wife moved to live in Vinh Hoa Hiep commune. Although he no longer had legs, he did not let himself become redundant. He asked his nephew to take him to the Employment Promotion Center to learn auto repair. After 4 months, he opened a auto repair and patching shop in front of his house, becoming a familiar address for locals and passersby. He and his wife converted the land to grow cucumbers, bitter melon, and vegetables, and raised chickens and ducks. He is a shining example of a disabled veteran who is good at business, and has been awarded a certificate of merit by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and has been recognized and honored by all levels and sectors.

Talking to us, Mr. Nam Thai said: “You children are now living in peace thanks to the blood and bones of many people. Live kindly, love your homeland and do not let bad people deceive you with distorted words.”

Mr. Nam Thai and his wife have two daughters. The older one is a hairdresser, the younger one works in an industrial park. Their family happiness is built on love and sharing. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh - Mr. Nam Thai's wife said: "In the past, I loved him and married him without thinking about anything deeper. I am honored to be the wife of a heroic soldier."

Article and photos: DANG LINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nam-thai-ban-linh-nguoi-thuong-binh-a424719.html