Take your mother on your father's behalf to explore the world.

His father passed away due to a serious illness, and the promise to take his wife on a world tour was "taken over" by their son, Nguyen Trong Luan, through hard work and saving.

Trong Luan and his mother during their recent trip to the US - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Nguyen Trong Luan (28 years old) is a pixel game artist living in Da Nang . He and his mother, Ngoc Anh (62 years old), recently completed a month-long trip to the United States. Before that, he and his mother had traveled to South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and many provinces and cities across Vietnam.

My mother dedicated her youth to taking care of me and my family. The fact that I can do this now is to care for her and bring her meaningful moments in life, which makes me prouder than any other achievement.

Nguyen Trong Luan

Father's unfulfilled promise

His father's sudden death left behind immeasurable grief and the unfulfilled promise to take his mother on a world tour. It was his father's heartfelt wish to compensate for his mother's years of hardship, and now Luân has taken on this responsibility.

His first overseas trip was in 2023, when he took his mother to South Korea because she loved Korean dramas. Over the past two years, Luan has explored Thailand, Taiwan, and most recently, traveled halfway around the world to the United States with his mother.

Luan always remembered what his father had told him when he was alive: that if he had the money, he would definitely take his mother to America to experience new things and meet old friends. So, for him, that trip was a labor of love, not just simply fulfilling his father's promise.

The mother and daughter's journey spanned from the West Coast to the East Coast of the United States, beginning in Los Angeles and ending in New York.

Besides taking his mother to visit famous landmarks, Luan also took her back to his old university, telling her about the lonely days he spent studying alone in a foreign land.

The most memorable moment was when my mother and I were gazing at the ocean in San Diego. My mother stood silently, looking into the distance, then suddenly took my hand and said, "I wish your father were here!"

Those words momentarily squeezed Luan's heart, but they also brought him a little relief because he had finally arrived at the place his parents had always dreamed of visiting together, even though his mother was now alone.

That evening, the son accidentally discovered that his mother still maintained the habit of texting his father in the chat box. For the past eight years, she had kept that habit every day, texting her husband about what happened during the day, even though he would never read it again.

"Throughout the entire journey, at every destination, every dish, or every person she met, my mother would tell me about it as a way to keep my father always present in her life," Luan recounted.

Cherish every moment with your mother.

Many people who know about it say that Luan is wasting his money and his youth on such trips.

Why don't you focus on working hard and saving up to ensure your mother has a comfortable life in her old age? Luan listened to all of this, but usually just smiled and let it go. Because for him, money can be earned again, but time spent with parents cannot.

But it's not like this guy wastes time on each trip, because he always arranges his schedule so he can combine travel and work. Luân always has a laptop in his backpack so he can handle work that arises anywhere, so there are hardly any significant obstacles.

Despite years of relentless hard work, including days of continuous work and overtime up to 16 hours, Luân says it's not a problem.

Because each trip was funded by his own savings, and seeing his mother happy and excited to discover new things, Luan said that was a well-deserved reward for his hard work.

Unable to hide her pride when talking about her son, Ms. Ngoc Anh said that as a mother, she can feel all the love, affection, and efforts her son has put in for her through every action and word he says.

He was also a source of support and comfort for her during her remaining days. "When he passed away, my life felt like it had come to an end, but Luân was always there to care for and encourage me every day. The joy he brought helped me gradually regain balance in my life," Mrs. Ngọc Anh said emotionally.

Not long after finishing his trip halfway around the world from Vietnam, Luan was already planning his next destination: Japan and China.

Then, this plan had to be postponed because his mother unfortunately had just been in a traffic accident. But he still hoped that his mother would recover soon so that they could continue their journey of exploring new lands together in the future.

Love your parents while you still can.

Occasionally, seeing his peers enjoying life, Luan would briefly consider leaving his busy work to be like them. But it was at those moments that the image of his hardworking father from the past would come back to him.

Luân used to think, "I can work hard and enjoy life later, it's never too late." But perhaps more than anyone else, the loss made Luân understand that time with his mother was limited, so he had to cherish every moment he could.

"You don't need to wait for success or wealth to do great things. Sometimes, a meal at the end of the day, watching a football match with your father, or brushing your mother's hair and giving her a back massage is enough."

"Things that seem ordinary and that some might consider 'cheesy' are actually the most beautiful and meaningful memories in my parents' lives," Luan confided.

Phu An, a close friend who accompanied Luan on his trip to America, said he was most impressed by his friend's resilience and determination. Having been friends for many years, An realized that Luan always overcame any challenge he encountered with the strongest and most positive attitude possible.

"The way Luan takes care of his mother and family has inspired me greatly. I realize that love and support from loved ones can give us the strength to bravely pursue our dreams no matter how difficult it is," Phu An shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thay-cha-dua-me-kham-pha-the-gioi-2025020910264658.htm