The will to overcome darkness

Mr. Le Xuan Thanh (middle) teaches massage and acupressure to members.

That is the story of overcoming the darkness of Mr. Le Xuan Thanh (born 1985) in Tho Xuan commune. Meeting Mr. Thanh in an exchange with advanced models of the blind association, his story has inspired many people. And we admire his determination, diligence and hard work even more when witnessing him working and teaching the profession to other less fortunate people.

Born and raised in a simple working-class family in Tho Lam commune, old Tho Xuan district, he understood that the only way to change his life was to study and practice. Since his school days, he was always diligent, hard-working, and eager to learn. Although his family's circumstances were difficult, his parents always created the best conditions for him to go to school. His parents' sacrifices became the motivation for him to strive to study and pursue his dream of becoming a construction engineer. After graduating from high school, he took the entrance exam to the College of Transport. After graduating from college, he continued to study construction at university. The challenging student years made him appreciate every learning opportunity and every new knowledge even more. After graduating, he was quickly recruited to work for Nghi Son Thermal Power Plant - a dynamic and promising environment. But right at the time when his youth and dedication to work were at their peak, in 2012 he went for a check-up and discovered that his cerebral blood vessels were abnormal, and the doctor ordered immediate treatment.

Mr. Thanh shared: "Ever since I was a student, I often had headaches but I thought the symptoms were normal so I didn't go to the doctor. When I discovered the disease, I was quite shocked. Quitting my job was a difficult decision but it was a must for me at that time."

During the 4 years of treatment, being away from his favorite job, the future slowed down, making him feel heavy-hearted. However, with his inherent resilience, along with the encouragement of his family, and the companionship of the girl he loved, he had more strength to overcome his illness. His health gradually stabilized, and he started a family with the person who had accompanied him since his student days, through the difficult years of treatment. That beautiful love built a small home full of love and hope.

It was thought that from here on, life would turn a new page, but fate once again challenged him. In 2018, the disease relapsed, and his eyes were severely affected. One eye completely lost its sight, and the other could only see vaguely. In the early days, he almost collapsed. His efforts, knowledge, and desire to contribute for many years seemed to have disappeared with the light in his eyes. The shock was so great that he fell into a psychological crisis and had to be treated for depression for a long time.

But then, after those dark days, he understood that life could not stop at sadness. He still had a family, the responsibility of being a husband and a father, and unfulfilled dreams. “If you cannot see the light in the world, you must light it in your own heart,” he reminded himself every day and determined to stand up.

The turning point came to him in 2020, when he learned about the Tho Xuan District Blind Association. In that loving, sharing and team spirit environment, he felt for the first time that he was not alone. His less fortunate friends were still practicing diligently, still living usefully, still contributing. That gave him a strong source of energy, helping him believe that he could also start over.

Mr. Thanh shared: "While struggling to find a job, I applied to learn a trade at a local private massage facility and was introduced to the association of blind people to learn a trade. And since then, my spirit and life have improved a lot."

Sharing about the path to the massage profession, Mr. Thanh said: “My path to the massage profession was not easy. On the first day of learning the profession, I was clumsy, my hands were clumsy, I could not feel the tendons, joints, acupuncture points clearly, many times I was discouraged, I just wanted to give up. But then I told myself that if I did not persevere and try, no one would help me and I would never have a stable job to take care of my family. I spent months just practicing each basic movement, many nights my hands were numb and painful but I still tried. Just like that, with perseverance, love for the profession and the dedicated teaching and hand-holding of the teacher, I gradually improved.”

To improve his skills, he studied documents on massage and acupressure; asked colleagues and teachers for further guidance; and actively participated in advanced training courses. His efforts were confirmed by two first prizes at the Provincial Massage and Acupuncture Skills Competition (2022, 2024). The award is not only a recognition of professional capacity, but also affirms the will of a person who has overcome fate.

From a student, he became an official employee at the Tho Xuan Blind Association's massage facility, then became a teacher, inspiring many other members. Thanh shared: "What I learned was not only massage techniques, but also patience and faith. I want to send a message to my fellow members: Choose a suitable career for yourself, then persevere and devote all your efforts to pursuing it to the end. No matter what career it is, if you do it with all your heart, it will be recognized and appreciated."

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