Thin, 25 years old, was born and raised in Son Ha, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province – a region in central Vietnam. He was born healthy, like any other child, attending school, playing, and living in the loving embrace of his family and friends. He was once a sports-loving, active student with dreams just like his peers. Tragically, an accident in ninth grade completely altered his life. While playing soccer with his classmates, the ball unexpectedly hit his face forcefully, causing his vision to gradually blur. He visited a district hospital, but the doctor advised him that his problem required a higher-level examination. At that moment, he sensed something was seriously wrong, and he was then transferred to the National Eye Hospital.
After a month of dedicated care from his family and doctors, his condition showed no improvement. The 15-year-old boy had to face the harsh truth that he would no longer be able to see the world clearly. He also had to drop out of school due to the difficulties caused by his eyes. From then on, physical pain compounded mental anguish. From a healthy, energetic student with a passion for sports, Thin fell into silence and negativity. Thin shared that during that period, he felt like a completely different person; he became disheartened, more timid, self-conscious, and at times, had extreme thoughts about life. He would spend his days locked in his room, keeping to himself, befriending the darkness, constantly believing that his life and future were over. After isolating himself, he would then frequently go out with friends to try and forget everything.
Thin’s life continued this way after the incident until he had a motorcycle accident while out with a friend. His friend had to go to the hospital for stitches, but Thin was fortunately unharmed. However, when his mother found out, she cried a lot. Seeing his mother like that made him realize he needed to change, to find a way to earn money for his future, and to ease his parents’ worries. Thin’s parents were farmers, and he was also the eldest of three siblings, so he always carried the responsibility of helping his parents and supporting his younger siblings’ education. This burden made him feel even more tormented and self-reproachful. Therefore, after everything, he picked himself up and moved forward.
He began researching jobs for the visually impaired in Ha Tinh and found work as a massage therapist to earn extra income. After working for a while, he wanted to seek other opportunities for better earnings. From there, he packed his bags and headed to Hanoi, looking for massage establishments. He found Omamori Spa through a friend, Mr. Dong, who is also a therapist at Omamori Spa. Thin studied diligently, training his hands to compensate for his eyes. He gradually adapted to a new lifestyle, the streets, and his work—one step at a time. Each day he learned and worked, Thin felt his life had more meaning. Not only could he support himself, but he could also ease his parents’ burdens and send money home to help them raise and educate his younger siblings.
Today, the boy he once was has become a strong, independent, and confident visually impaired young man. Without light in his eyes, Thin has lit up his own life with resilience, filial piety, and the responsibility of being the eldest brother in his family. Thìn’s story serves as a reminder that sometimes, it is in the darkness that one truly finds their inner strength.
