Continue the story of peacetime

Tan Tru commune delegation visited Vietnamese Heroic Mother Nguyen Thi Dai on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day

Proud Vietnamese Heroic Mother

On the occasion of the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2025), we visited Heroic Mother Nguyen Thi Dai (Tan Tru commune, Tay Ninh province). She welcomed us with a gentle smile as if welcoming her children returning from far away. A few months ago, she had an accident and could no longer walk, so she could not come to the gate to welcome us like the previous times. This year, Mother Dai is 94 years old and is living with her youngest daughter. Old age and weak health, there are things she remembers and forgets, but she still remembers clearly the stories about her husband, children, and the revolution.

Mother Dai said: “Born and raised in a family with a revolutionary tradition, I understood the cruelty and savagery of the enemy. When my husband left to join the revolution, I stayed home to manage the family, take care of both sets of parents and raise my children. The day I heard the news of my husband's death, I cried until my tears ran dry but had to hold back my pain to continue to see my third son off to follow the sacred call of the Fatherland. Not long after, I received a death notice, my son had died. This was a huge loss."

After the country was reunified, Mother Dai became both a father and a mother, facing many difficulties and challenges, but she decided not to remarry and stayed single to raise 8 children.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Lan (daughter of Heroic Mother of Vietnam - Nguyen Thi Dai) proudly said: “My mother told me that when my father passed away, she was only 2 months pregnant with me. When I was young, my mother sent me to my grandmother to take care of, and she went to work from early morning until late afternoon. Many times, seeing her struggling, my siblings and I advised her to remarry so that she would have someone to support her, but she refused. She was afraid that if she shared her feelings with others, my siblings and I would suffer. Loving our mother, my siblings and I are all obedient, filial and strive to become useful people for our family and society.”

Watching the eternal sleep of comrades

Mrs. Phung Thi My (4/4 disabled soldier, Vinh Hung commune) has been attached to the martyrs' cemetery for nearly 30 years. For her, this place is more than home, because the people lying in the cemetery are her brothers, comrades, and blood relatives.

Coming out of the resistance war against American imperialism, Mrs. Phung Thi My (4/4 disabled veteran, residing in Vinh Hung commune) clearly understands the value of today's peace and independence, which was exchanged for the blood of many outstanding children on the S-shaped land. This is the reason why Mrs. My and her husband have been attached to the Vinh Hung - Tan Hung Inter-district Martyrs' Cemetery for nearly 30 years.

Mrs. My said: “For me, this place is no different from family because the people who are lying in the cemetery are brothers and comrades who have gone through life and death. My husband and I are from Ben Tre , on holidays and Tet, we take turns visiting our family, sweeping the graves of our ancestors, never both of us at the same time, because we are afraid that no one will take care of us and burn incense for the heroic martyrs.”

Every year, the Vinh Hung - Tan Hung Inter-District Martyrs Cemetery is the place where the remains of heroes and martyrs brought back from Cambodia are gathered and interred. Compared to other cemeteries, the work at this cemetery is much more stressful. However, people like Mrs. My still feel happy, because the heroes and martyrs who remained in foreign lands have now returned to their homeland after decades of searching.

To keep the cemetery clean and warm, Mrs. My is still quietly doing many named or unnamed jobs, rain or shine, the work still takes place regularly. When looking at the meticulously cared for graves, the incense smoke billowing, the clean and airy grounds, surely the relatives of the martyrs' families also feel warm!

No matter how fierce, brutal and painful the war was, when returning to peacetime life, Heroic Vietnamese Mother - Nguyen Thi Dai, and war invalid Phung Thi My remained steadfast on the new front, living courageously, responsibly and affectionately. They turned their pain into strength, motivation and action to continue the family's revolutionary tradition in peacetime, forever being a shining example for future generations to follow./.

Le Ngoc

Source: https://baolongan.vn/viet-tiep-cau-chuyen-thoi-binh-a199339.html