In a small alley near the University of Education – Da Nang University, which used to be the lecturers’ dormitory, we met Mr. Tran Van Tri – a special teacher. Called special, because his life is associated with the two words “war invalid”, but he has also quietly shone on the podium for the past several decades.
Don't let disability bury your will
Mr. Tri was born in 1948 in Tien Phuoc district, Quang Nam province (old) - a poor land but rich in revolutionary tradition. In 1966, at the age of 18, the young man put down his pen, shouldered his backpack and joined the army. During the years of fierce fighting, he was wounded many times. And then, the battle in 1969 forever marked an unforgettable milestone in his life.
“Caught in a bomb in the forest. Lying in the middle of the forest for two days waiting for rescue by his comrades. When he was brought back, his left leg was gangrenous,” he said, his voice as soft as a breath. That leg later had to be amputated. For many people, that would have been the end of a future. But for Mr. Tri, the injury was not the end. On the contrary, it was the starting point of another journey: the journey to find knowledge.
Leaving the army, he started over again. Passing the entrance exam to the Faculty of Literature, Vinh Pedagogical University, he studied with a rare perseverance. “I thought that only studying could help me live without being disabled. I lost a leg, but I could not lose faith in myself,” he shared.
In 1980, after graduating from university, Mr. Tri was assigned to work at Quang Nam – Da Nang Pedagogical College, later the Pedagogical University – Da Nang University. With one foot and one heart full of enthusiasm, he began teaching – a profession of perseverance, of those who spread the passion.
For more than 30 years in the classroom, Mr. Tri has guided generations of students, taught literary works and poems, but above all, taught through his own life story - about determination, faith and gratitude for life.
Not only a teacher, Mr. Tri is also a husband and a father in a warm, simple family. Ms. Bui Thi Hoa - his wife, still remembers clearly the days in the lecture hall of Vinh Pedagogical University. At that time, she was an accountant at the school. "I loved the simplicity of Quang people, loved an example of strong will. Then I fell in love without realizing it," she laughed.
Overcoming society’s sympathetic gaze towards a man with “only one leg”, Ms. Hoa chose to stick with Mr. Tri with all her heart. They built a simple home and raised three children. Two of them followed in their father’s footsteps and became teachers. “Maybe because I see teaching as a profession with a lot of love,” he said, his eyes shining with pride.
Message to the younger generation
At 77 years old, Mr. Tri is still lucid and still reads books every day. Although he has been retired for a long time and his health is not good, he still often accepts invitations to talk to students when possible, especially on July 27 every year.
When asked what message he wanted to send to the younger generation living in peace , he said softly but firmly: “You don’t have to go through war like me. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have challenges. Each person will have their own battlefield – studying, working, living decently amidst the hustle and bustle of life. Live in a way that makes you proud of yourself. And never think that you can’t.”
That message sounded like a final lesson that the one-legged teacher left for generations of students – a lesson about will, determination and faith in life.
In the middle of a bustling city, Mr. Tri's small house at the end of an alley is as simple as he himself. There are no medals hanging everywhere, no long list of achievements. But in the eyes of many generations of students, Mr. Tran Van Tri is a monument - a monument of perseverance.
And with July – the month of gratitude, stories like Mr. Tri's are not only to remember, but also to remind every young person today: Living in peace means having the responsibility to continue writing the beautiful pages that the previous generation opened.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/tu-chien-truong-den-giang-duong-hanh-trinh-mot-chan-3298039.html
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