A flame of compassion in a land of fire.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, where calculations sometimes cause people to close their hearts, there are still hearts that quietly shine brightly. In the sun-drenched and windswept land of Quang Tri, there is a man who quietly chose the path of compassion...

He is Nguyen Mau Anh Tuan, born in 1977, currently residing in Ward 10, Nam Dong Ha Commune, Dong Ha City, Quang Tri Province. Locals affectionately call him "Mau Tuan, the connector of love in everyday life."

Mr. Mau Tuan is helping people affected by the recent historic floods in Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

Over 70 life-saving surgeries

"Saving a life makes me feel so much lighter, as if I've been given a second chance at life," Tuan said, his voice slow and warm. His story began on a day in March 2008. When he heard the Red Cross Society of Ward 5 calling for urgent blood donations to save a patient at Quang Tri Provincial General Hospital, he immediately registered along with 10 others. He didn't know them and didn't ask for anything in return. After donating blood, he quietly went home, only hearing that the patient had overcome the critical condition. "That joy quietly stayed in my heart," he recounted.

From that first time, Tuan considered blood donation a part of his life. Although many people were hesitant, fearing it would affect his health, he smiled kindly and said, "I'm healthy, I can still work, so why begrudge a little blood to save lives?"

Mr. Mau Tuan participating in an annual blood donation activity - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

To date, he has donated blood and platelets more than 70 times, equivalent to nearly 30 liters of blood, saving countless patients' lives. Not only is he a dedicated individual, but he is also the Vice Chairman of the "Voluntary Blood Donation Campaign" Club in Quang Tri province and regularly organizes, promotes, and encourages people to participate. Each year, he alone mobilizes 50-100 people to donate blood. Nguyen Xuan Duong, the Club Chairman, commented: "Mr. Tuan doesn't just talk, he acts. He's ready to go anytime, day or night, as long as he hears someone urgently needs blood." For Mr. Tuan, each drop of blood is a message of love , the simplest way to affirm that in this life, people can still save each other with compassion.

From blood donor to "free boat driver"

In 2020, historic floods swept through Quang Tri, submerging countless villages. At that time, Tuan and his " Da Nang Zero-Cost Canoe" team braved the floodwaters to rescue hundreds of isolated residents. "Back then, I simply thought we had to save them; if we didn't, they would die," he recalled.

After that incident, he realized his hometown desperately needed a local rescue force. In November 2020, he and Le Van Dinh, leader of the "Zero-Cost Transportation" group, founded the "Zero-Cost Rescue Boat Team of Quang Tri Province". They mobilized philanthropists to donate and purchase two inflatable boats, each costing nearly 100 million VND. The team consists of 7 members, all ordinary people, ready to brave the raging floods.

Mr. Mau Tuan (fourth from the right) and members of the "Zero-Cost Rescue Boat" team - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

One night in late October 2024, his phone rang incessantly with dozens of distress calls from Vinh Long commune, Vinh Linh district (formerly). He immediately called his colleagues: "Brothers, the water is rising rapidly in Vinh Long, prepare the canoe, we're going right now!" It was dark, raining heavily, and the current was strong. The team's canoe had to stop several times because of fallen trees and tangled power lines. When they arrived, the water was chest-deep; elderly people were carrying small children, their cries mingling with cries for help. Tuan and his teammates jumped into the water, helping each elderly person and carrying each child onto the canoe. Around 3 a.m., they managed to get more than 20 people to safety.

Returning home at dawn, drenched, he only heard his wife say through tears, "All I wanted was for you to come home…" He smiled, his eyes still reflecting the flashlight beam from the night before: "I couldn't rest easy if I didn't go. We're luckier than them, we have to help!"

A bridge connecting hearts

Besides rescuing people during floods and storms, Mr. Tuan also acts as a "bridge" between charitable hearts and those in need. From a few boxes of instant noodles and bottles of water to shipments of hundreds of tons of essential goods, he mobilizes and distributes everything openly and transparently.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he and the "Connecting with Love in Quang Tri" group donated 300 tons of goods to the South. Recently, when Typhoon No. 3 hit the North, he again mobilized 100 tons of essential supplies to support flood victims. He simply said: "I'm just the person in the middle, gathering everyone's kindness and sending it to where it's most needed. Helping others is the greatest joy." Not only is he an organizer, he also regularly collaborates with the "Zero-Cost Transportation" group to support treatment and funeral expenses for those in particularly tragic circumstances. For him, compassion knows no bounds; as long as he has the strength, he will continue to help.

Most recently, during the unprecedented floods in Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, and Lang Son, Mr. Mau Tuan, along with his fellow volunteers from Quang Tri, set out to deliver food and other essential supplies to the beloved North, where people were struggling to cope with the natural disaster and suffering. "This is the heartfelt gesture of the people of Central Vietnam always thinking of their brothers and sisters in the North. We hope that this sharing will help alleviate some of their hardships and help them stabilize their lives soon," Mr. Mau Tuan shared.

Mr. Mau Tuan (fifth from the right) and the Quang Tri volunteer group heading towards the beloved North - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

The man has the blood of love flowing through his veins.

Through his persistent efforts and dedication to the community, Mr. Nguyen Mau Anh Tuan He has been recognized with numerous awards and prestigious titles at both the provincial and national levels. In 2010, he was honored as "Outstanding Citizen of Dong Ha City, Quang Tri Province". He received well-deserved rewards for his unwavering dedication to the community. Subsequently, he received commendations from the Vietnam Red Cross Central Committee and the Ministry of Health, and was honored as one of the 100 outstanding blood donors nationwide in 2017 in Hanoi.

Mr. Nguyen Mau Anh Tuan was honored as an outstanding blood donor nationwide in 2017 - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

Mr. Tuan is one of the exemplary individuals in the 2025-2030 period in Nam Dong Ha ward, Quang Tri province - PHOTO: Provided by the interviewee.

In 2018 and 2019, The Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation in Quang Tri Province continues to award him certificates of merit recognizing his tireless contributions to the humanitarian blood donation movement. From 2013 to 2023, he received numerous commendations from the People's Committee of Quang Tri Province for his outstanding contributions to blood donation, relief, and charitable work. In particular, during the period 2020-2025, Mr. Nguyen Mau Anh Tuan Okay The People's Committee of Nam Dong Ha Ward commended this individual as an "Outstanding Model," a testament to their continuous journey of spreading love and sharing in everyday life.

Certificates and awards adorn a corner of Tuan's small house. But when asked, he just smiles: "The real reward is seeing the smile of those I've helped. The certificates are just memories." In the eyes of the people of Dong Ha, Nguyen Mau Anh Tuan is not only an exemplary husband and father, but also a compassionate elder brother to the community. He has sown seeds of kindness not through words, but through actions: donating blood, navigating floods by boat, and delivering supplies to those in need.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, there remains a person who quietly does good deeds without needing to know their name. And perhaps, the most valuable thing he left behind was not the nearly 30 liters of blood, the hundreds of tons of goods, or the nights spent braving floods, but... The belief that compassion is always present and spreading.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngon-lua-nhan-ai-giua-mien-dat-lua-18525102814245082.htm